Reflection
by tanithw
Summary: Established relationship.  Minerva is seriously injured duelling dark wizards but survives, the consequences of those injuries will have lasting ramifications.  HG/MM
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: Mary was kinda irritated when I said that I'd started yet another story. You may be too but here's my logic - 'Seasons' is a very angst-free story and at the moment life is pretty angsty, so I'm not in the right frame of mind to do it justice, 'Exile' is probably less than half complete, so we'll be doing that for a while. 'Pleasures' again requires careful thought and I just had to do this plot bunny.**

**So enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Hermione burst through the doors of St. Mungos in a flurry of billowing robes. Her pace was only slightly slower than running as she hurried through the foyer towards a tall blonde standing by the reception desk.<p>

"Where is she?"

Jeanette Robson ignored the breach of the young womans normally impeccable manners. In her line of work, she realised that worried people were capable of anything. "Follow me Hermione." She led the younger woman into the magical elevator behind the desk, waiting for the interrogation to continue.

"How is she?"

"From what I have been able ascertain, Minerva was involved in a duel with several dark wizards. She managed to defeat them but in the process suffered a serious head injury. Shortly after alerting The Ministry, she lost consciousness."

"She will be alright, won't she?"

"We have administered the correct treatments and Minerva should wake shortly."

The lift gave a soft bong and opened to long austere corridor. The two women stepped out and Hermione followed the chief healer to the right. "You didn't answer the question."

"Because I don't know Hermione. Head injuries can be tricky things. We will have more answers for you soon." The healer quietly opened a door.

Hermione rushed to Minerva's bedside and sat beside the older woman. Emerald eyes were tightly closed, milky skin had an almost translucent pallor and the woman who had always seemed larger than life looked...weak, diminished... Hermione shook her head cutting that thought dead in its tracks. Jeanette had said that she would wake up soon... she had to.

* * *

><p>It was a few hours later that Hermione felt the fingers that were in her grasp move.<p>

She glanced upwards to see Minerva's eyelashes fluttering, as though it were a struggle to open them.

"Minerva? Open your eyes... That's right... Come back to me."

There was a low groan.

"Come on Minerva, wake all the way up for me."

Not opening her eyes the older woman spoke in a pained voice. "Where am I?"

"St. Mungo's, you were injured in a duel."

"I... I don't..." Minerva winced and opened her eyes. Her emerald gaze widened as it moved from Hermione's face to their joined hands. "What are you doing here Miss Granger?"

"Miss Granger? You haven't called me that in almost a decade." Hermione was grinning at the older woman, a grin that faded as Minerva yanked her hand away. "Minerva?"

The animagus shifted on the mattress away from the younger woman. "Why are you calling me that?"

Hurt chocolate eyes stared at the older witch. She paused for a moment and reached for a discrete button on the wall. Only a minute or two later Jeanette ran into the room, "What's wrong? Oh Minerva good, you're awake."

"She doesn't seem to recognise me."

"Of course I recognise you Miss Granger but I fail to see why you are here or why you are speaking as though we are on intimate terms!"

Hermione turned her gaze to the healer, silently pleading for help.

"Oh Minerva, I need to ask you a few questions." Jeanette gestured for the younger woman to step back a little. "I know that you get impatient in hospitals but I need your co-operation."

Hermione sat in a chair by the door and slumped there with her head in her hands.

* * *

><p>...Listening as her world collapsed.<p>

* * *

><p>"How many fingers am I holding up?"<p>

"Three."

"Who is The Minister?"

"Fudge."

"The Head of Hogwarts?"

"Albus Dumbledore... or Delores Umbridge, depending on what you read in The Daily Prophet."

"The last thing you remember?"

"Running to help Hagrid and being cursed, flying through the air..."

The healer leant forward, shining a light into Minerva's eyes before running a diagnostics charm. "Look closely at Hermione and tell me what you see that doesn't tally with your memory of her."

"She... she's got a scar on her forehead."

"And?"

"Her hair is longer. Really Jeanette what is this all about? How long was I out?"

"You were unconscious for about 6 hours."

"Wha...? I don't understand."

"You had a serious head injury. It appears that you have suffered some memory loss as a result of that. The last events that you say you recall... happened... almost twelve years ago."

"Twelve years." Minerva's voice was a mere whisper. "What has happened?"

"Too much information could be more damaging when given all at once but there is some... that you really do need to know... Hermione?"

The younger woman stood and walked over to the bed. There was something about the brightness in Hermione's eyes that tugged at Minerva's heartstrings but she did not understand why.

"Minerva... I... you..." The tears that had been threatening began to fall and Hermione lowered her gaze to the bed sheet. "We're married."

"We are what?"

"Married. Minerva you are my wife."

"I... You are... were my student. We cannot be... m... that."

"Look at your hand Tabby."

Emerald eyes flickered to her left hand, to the plain gold band that adorned it – then to the matching one on the younger womans ring finger and her eyes finally accepted the incredible truth when they noticed something else. Underneath the wedding band was another one, the engagement ring that her Emilie McGonagall had worn. Emerald and diamonds, nestled in antique gold.

Minerva gasped and her lips trembled.

"We became friends after the war. Then we... for lack of a better term started dating. You proposed eight years ago. We were married a year after that." Hermione paused and looked at the Healer.

"Tell her Hermione."

"Tell me what?"

"We... have a daughter."

Minerva's jaw dropped.

"Her name is Cerys."

"My Grandmothers name."

"I know, we named our daughter after her."

Minerva was openly trembling now, "How... how old is she?"

"Five... Going on thirty-five."

What was obviously a family-joke had no impact on the older woman. "I'm sorry... I don't remember."

Jeanette broke into the awkward silence, "We will need to conduct some more tests. Memory will usually come back on it's own after this type of injury. There are various therapies that we can try, so please continue to be hopeful."

Minerva's eyes were almost glazed over from the pain in her head, a pain that was getting worse with every revelation. What Miss Granger was saying was impossible, she would never have gotten involved with a student or even a former student. But the younger woman did not look as though she was lying and the fact that she was wearing Emilie McGonagall's ring spoke volumnes.

"Minerva you need to rest, I will give you a dreamless draught in a moment. Hermione you should go home, things may look better in the morning."

The young woman nodded. She took one final long, lingering look at her wife. "Goodnight Minerva."

"Goodnight."

* * *

><p>Minerva glared at the nurse who had the audacity to flood the room with sunlight by opening the curtains.<p>

"I'm sorry Headmistress, the sun will round the building in half an hour or so – it won't be so bright then."

"What did you call me?"

"...Headmistress."

"What happened to Albus Dumbledore?"

The young nurse paled at the tone in her former professors voice. She backed away, "I'm sorry I have said too much already."

"Tell me." Minerva took a few steps toward her, in a way that was designed to intimidate.

"She isn't allowed to tell you." A very familiar voice sounded from the open doorway.

Minerva McGonagall closed her eyes and turned to face... Hermione. "Please I need to know."

The nurse took that moment to flee.

Hermione stepped into the room, placed a small case on the foot of the bed and adjusted her robes before sitting down. "He's dead."

The older witch slumped into the chair by the door and paled. The loss of her best friend was fresh now, as though the past eleven years had not happened. "How, why?"

"It is an exceedingly long story."

"Please."

Hermione stood up, "Come walk with me."

The younger woman led her wife towards the coffee shop, which was still quiet this early in the morning. She paid for a pot of tea and urged Minerva to step out onto the balcony with her. The two witches sat in the early morning sunlight for a few minutes until their tea arrived. Hermione took a deep breath and spoke, "I cannot tell you bits and pieces, you will have to know the whole story."

Minerva nodded.

"A few days after Umbridge and her flunkies ambushed you, Harry had a vision that Sirius had been taken prisoner in the Department of Mysteries. We attempted to contact Grimmauld Place but were captured in the attempt, Harry managed to warn Snape. I tricked Umbridge into getting captured by centaurs. We used Thestrals to get to The Ministry."

"Who is we?"

"Harry, Ron, myself, Neville, Luna and Ginny."

"Six students against Voldemort?"

"It turned out that he had planted the vision in Harry's mind to trick him into retrieving a prophecy that Trelawney had made about the two of them. When Harry retrieved the sphere; Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and a number of their friends showed up. We fought fairly well but were outmatched. The Order showed up and saved us but Sirius died, killed by Bellatrix. Harry chased her and ended up involved in a duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort."

"Is that where he died?"

"No. The aurors and The Minister appeared, Voldemort fled and suddenly The Prophet was reporting the truth again. Dumbledore admitted that Harry's parents were killed because someone, who later turned out to be Snape overheard part of the prophecy and told Voldemort. That summer things started to get bad, murders, disappearances – rumours. When we came back to school..."

Minerva winced at the reminder that Hermione had been her student.

"...Dumbledore had a dead withered hand. He began to take Harry for private lessons, he had discovered that Voldemort had made seven horcruxes. He had injured his hand during his search, it was a curse that would have eventually killed him. Over the year he showed Harry most of the things he had discovered about Tom Riddle. Draco Malfoy meanwhile had become a Death Eater and was working to repair an old vanishing cabinet."

Another wince, as though Minerva sensed what was coming.

"One night Harry and Dumbledore left to find a horcrux, while they were gone Draco led Death Eaters into Hogwarts through the cabinet located in the room of requirement. Malfoy had sworn to kill Dumbledore and he cornered him on the Astronomy Tower weakened but he couldn't do it. Snape... Snape killed him."

"What?" Minerva began to cry. The sight tore at Hermione's heart, the way that it had after his funeral when she had seen her professor sobbing by the lake. She reached over and placed a hand on her wife's, knowing that anything more intimate would not have been welcome. "We trusted him because Albus did."

"I know but it wasn't quite that simple." Hermione went on to explain their search for the horcruxes, the changes that the wizarding world had undergone, their final battle and the discovery that Snape had killed Dumbledore on his command. Harry's 'death' and how he had defeated Voldemort.

Minerva's sobbing subsided and she pulled her hand from Hermione's. The young woman gave an involuntary gasp at the emotional pain that the simple action provoked. She covered it by reaching for her cup. The older woman looked at the now shut door that led into the coffee shop – they were all alone. "I closed it." Hermione had noticed the direction of her gaze.

"Thank you, Miss..." Minerva stopped when she saw the tears that sprung into chocolate eyes. "I am sorry but this is rather hard for me."

"I know." Hermione's reply was short, succinct. She took a deep breath before continuing, "I think that you've had enough excitement for one morning." The young witch stood up, abandoning what tea was left in the pot and walked back towards Minerva's room – seemingly not caring if the older witch followed her or not. All the while keeping a watchful eye on her wife.

* * *

><p>It was just before lunch when Jeanette Robson walked into Minerva's room and saw the older woman sitting at the window staring out at the street filled with muggles far below. "My receptionist tells me that Hermione was here earlier."<p>

Minerva had obviously heard the healer coming, she never showed any surprise at the words or the fact that someone had spoken. "I believe that I upset her."

"You have to remember that while this is hard for you, it is harder for her. She has memories of what she is missing, you do not."

Minerva sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. "I appreciate that."

"Do you? Because I have to warn you that this is only going to get harder before it gets better."

"She gets upset when I call her Miss Granger."

"Well in her defence the two of you have been married for seven years. I can see why that would upset her."

"As can I. But she **is** Miss Granger to me."

The healer pulled over a chair and sat next to Minerva. "Might I make a suggestion?"

"By all means."

"Call her Hermione. It's a start."

"But..."

"But nothing. Minerva the facts are the facts, they may be hard for you to accept but you married Hermione Granger years ago. You may not be able to reconcile that with your point of view at the moment but you need to keep an open mind."

"I will try." The three words were quietly uttered and the healer knew that it was as much as Minerva could give for the time being. "How long until I can remember?"

"These things are not an exact science. It could happen a minute from now, tomorrow, next week, next month or a year from now."

"Or never?"

"That is a possibility but Minerva there is every chance that you will fully regain your memories. Only in extremely rare cases will memory loss be permanent. It may come back in bits and pieces, slowly or all at once. Your memory therapist will be able to help."

"But what if...?" Minerva shook her head, lifting an elegant hand to forestall the healers response. She turned her attention back to the window, obviously lost in thought.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon<p>

Minerva was reading The Daily Prophet when she heard Hermione's voice outside of the open door. Animagus hearing allowed her to pick up the soft words. "Remember what I told you?"

A young voice chirped in response, "Yes. Mum banged her head and she doesn't 'member us."

"That's right."

"Can we go in now?"

The door opened wide and Minerva saw Hermione's anxious face for a split-second before her eyes wandered lower. A small child stood beside the younger woman, clinging to her hand nervously. The girl had long wavy tresses that were the same colour as Hermione's but the eyes staring nervously at her were a very familiar shade of emerald green. Her eyes.

The older witch took a deep breath. "Hello."

"Hi." The child clung tighter to her mum for a moment before she took several steps forward towards the bed. With uncommon poise for her age she stared up at her other mother. "I am Cerys McGonagall, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Minerva chuckled despite herself and shook the small hand that reached for her own. "I am very pleased to meet you."

"I drawed you a picture, I'll get Mummy to put it on the wall." The young woman pulled a piece of parchment from her bag when prompted by her daughter.

"May I see it please Cerys?"

Small eyes blinked up at her in surprise, "You want to look at my drawin'?"

"I would love to see it." The girl took the parchment from Hermione and handed it to Minerva who placed it on top of her paper. A small giggle erupted when two elegant hands lifted her up and onto the bed. The older witch wrapped an arm around her daughter. "So tell me about it."

Minerva listened to her daughter and tried to pretend that Hermione's sigh of relief didn't knife into her heart.

"So this is our house... That window's my bedroom...There's our orchard... That's Mummy... There's you Mum... That's me...And... There'."

Hermione erupted into laughter. "Cerys, taking advantage of your mothers memory loss is not nice."

"It was worth a try." Minerva's voice was very amused.

"She's been begging for a dog ever since she could talk."

The older witch chuckled. "What kind of puppy is it?" She pointed to the shapeless brown blob on the paper.

"Um... Like Nanny's dog."

Two sets of identical emerald eyes looked up at Hermione, waiting for her to fill in the blank. "A German Shepherd."

"That is a big dog for someone your size."

"I'm five and a half now." The young girl gave a very familiar Cheshire cat grin.

Minerva chuckled, "Why don't you draw me some more pictures of him." A wave of her wand conjured a small desk in the corner, equipped with crayons and paper. They both watched their daughter run over to it and start colouring.

Serious emerald eyes sought Hermione's and Minerva wordlessly patted the mattress beside her.

The younger woman swallowed down her nerves and walked over to her wife. She straightened her robes once again before sitting down. As soon as Hermione was on the bed, Minerva cast a silencing charm around it. "What kind of mother am I? To make her think that I would not be interested in looking at her drawing."

Hermione gave a sigh, "A busy one. Hogwarts consumes your waking hours. You usually return home late in the evening on your day off – when she is already asleep. You leave early the next morning, before she wakes. Weekends are better but you tend to bring paperwork home."

"I should have made more time for her, for you both. Obviously I need to reassess my priorities."

"I'm not disputing that, I happen to agree with you but you do not know the full circumstances."

"What I do know, is that I did not wait my entire lifetime dreaming about having a family... Just to neglect them."

Hermione reached out and brushed her fingers over Minerva's forearm, knowing the back story that the older woman was alluding to. She smiled up at her wife tenderly. "It'll all be ok."

"How do you know?" Tears were brimming in emerald eyes.

"Because you are Minerva McGonagall. You are the most resilient person I know, a fighter – it'd take more than a knock on the head to make you forget your responsibilities. Besides you are as stubborn as hell."

"You noticed that?"

"It's hard to miss."

They both smiled at each other warmly, Minerva's grin was slightly hesitant but it was real. She cancelled the silencing charm with a wave of her hand and whacked the call button with her palm. It took several minutes for Jeanette to arrive.

"Are you always on duty?"

"No. But everyone else is scared to come in here."

"I can make your life easier."

"You're going to be nice?"

"No. I am going... home with Cerys and... Hermione."

Hermione closed her eyes in relief. It was amazing how good her name sounded on Minerva's lips.

"Fine."

"What no argument?"

"No, my healers are terrified of you and it would probably do you good to go home. Give me ten minutes to sort out your paperwork ,ok?" The healer turned and swept out of the room.

* * *

><p>The Healer returned with Minerva's washed and ironed clothing. She placed it on the bed and drew the privacy curtains. "Cerys, why don't you wait outside ok?"<p>

"Ok." The girl gathered up her drawings and left the room obediently.

"Minerva sign here, here and here... Thanks. Now if you get dressed I will give Hermione some information."

"About what?"

"About what to watch for, in case your condition worsens."

"Why her and not me?"

"She is your wife, besides it is rather hard to watch yourself."

With a huff Minerva went behind the curtain and was muttering something about the 'ole ball and chain'. She was trying to be humorous but in fact she was angry and confused. "Minerva why is it that every time I refer to Hermione as your wife... you get angry? Why are you fighting this so hard?"

The older witch said nothing. It took Hermione a few moments but she remembered a conversation that they had had many years earlier. "I know why. Jeanette, just drop it for now."

Only moments later Minerva stepped out from behind the curtain. "How can you possibly know?"

"You're my wife, it's my business to know."

The ebony haired woman looked at her incredulously for a moment. "Shall we go?" She walked outside to speak to her daughter. Hermione looked at the healer for a moment, Jeanette squeezed the younger womans shoulder before gesturing that she should follow Minerva.

Hermione caught up with her family at the fireplace in reception. Minerva McGonagall was standing with a handful of floo-powder in one hand and a helpless look on her face. "This is ridiculous, I do not even know where my home is."

The young woman fought the urge to comfort her wife, knowing that it wouldn't be well received. "The Anchorage."

Minerva nodded, threw the powder into the flames and the three of them squished into the fire – as she spoke the name of the home she had no memory of.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Hermione was sitting in the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee that was liberally laced with whiskey. Tears were slowly dripping down her face and onto the hands that were clinging to the mug as though it were a lifeline.<p>

"You do realise of course... that is a waste of good whiskey."

Watery chocolate eyes sought out Minerva who was standing in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame. "I've never been much of a drinker... Call it medicinal."

"Where do... we... keep the glasses?"

Hermione pointed to a cabinet over the sink. Minerva retrieved one and took it to the table, pouring a short measure for herself. The animagus reached into her robe and withdrew a handkerchief, she handed it to the younger woman, "Here."

"Thank you... I don't normally break down like this."

Minerva sat down, "It is entirely understandable. This has been a long hard couple of days."

"That's an understatement of epic proportions."

Both gave a hollow chuckle and Hermione returned her attention to her mug, tears welling again.

After a few minutes the older woman spoke, "I am so sorry... Hermione. Please do not cry."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about, none of this is your fault."

"Nevertheless."

Hermione nodded, waiting for Minerva to say whatever else was obviously playing on her mind. She took another sip of the now-cold, foul-tasting liquid.

"What did you mean when you said...?" The older womans words cut off mid-sentence.

"When I said that it was my business to know certain things about you...?" Hermione watched as Minerva nodded without looking up from the table. "Tabby, we were friends and more than that... for almost a year before we made things official. We used to stay up all night talking."

Chocolate eyes softened fondly, as she continued. "I know about the time that you were ill with scarlet fever and your grandmother went into a muggle shop to get you ice-cream, dressed in fuchsia robes."

Minerva laughed at the memory.

"I know about the time that you and Hooch got into a brawl with the entire Chudley Cannons Quidditch team because they said girls couldn't play Quidditch."

Another huge grin from the animagus.

"And I know about the time when you kissed Amelia Bones and she pushed you away because she wasn't gay. When your parents sent you to live with your Gran for the same incident."

This time Minerva nodded, this memory not quite as agreeable. It still stung even after all of that time.

"And yes you did... eventually tell me why you were pushing me away so violently." Emerald eyes widened, wondering if what Hermione was saying could possibly have been true – would she have divulged her most intimate secret? "That you had feelings for me when I was a student and how ashamed of them you were."

"Ashamed is also one hell of an understatement."

"You didn't want to be with me because you thought that it would be a betrayal of your principals."

"How... how did I overcome that mental obstacle? At the moment it appears insurmountable."

"I used logic."

"Logic?"

"Yep. I asked if you had ever before had feelings for any of the thousands of students that had passed through your... hands."

"No I have not, I would not!"

"So what is it about me that makes me different?"

"Everything..." There was an unconsciously dreamy look on Minerva's face as she considered the younger womans attributes.

Hermione gave a small chuckle, "You eventually determined that the difference was because you loved me. That our relationship was 'meant' to be." Minerva nodded, not entirely convinced but evidentially she had overcome it before- she could do so again.

Shortly after returning from the hospital she had fallen asleep on the sofa with her daughter. A night spent in St. Mungos with little sleep and the lingering effects of her head injury had made her nap, before she had even looked at the house. She had awoken late in the evening, missing the solid warmth of her daughter in her arms.

Another glance at the younger woman had shown her that Hermione was exhausted. Her beautiful creamy skin was pale and there were dark marks under her eyes. "You need to get some rest."

"I tried but..." The young witch cut herself off, not wanting to say that she had been unable to sleep in the vastness of their marital bed, alone. "You two fell asleep before you had the 'ten cent' tour."

"Then lead on."

Hermione gave a small smile, took their empty dishes to the sink and turned on the oven to heat the dinner that she had saved for Minerva. She gestured to a wide door that led outside, it had a lock high up that was obviously intended to be too high for Cerys to reach. She opened it and led her wife out.

They were standing on a wide stone quay that was high above the dark crystal waters of a Scottish loch. Minerva could tell from the scent in the air that they were very close to the sea and that the water was the briny mixture found in the mouth of rivers. Squinting in the dim light from the open door she could see stone steps leading down to a lower dock below.

"The water here is deep enough for large boats. Trade vessels from Sweden and thereabouts used to anchor here while goods were brought by land or smaller boats. Even now the fishing fleet and passing ships will ride out rough seas in this calmer water."

"I wager that the dolphins enjoy it too."

"Yes, we also get the occasional whale."

"Taigh Acarsaid, The Anchorage, it's a nice name."

"We generally use the English name but the floo will get you here if you speak Gaelic. We sit out here quite a lot in the summer, the view is marvellous." Hermione went back inside, the chill coming off of the water too much for her thin muggle clothing. Minerva carefully locked the door behind them, an action which prompted another of the pretty smiles she was starting to crave.

"You've seen the kitchen, basically we have muggle appliances as well as the magical ones." Hermione ran a hand down the length of a granite worktop. "We usually eat in here but do have a formal dining room." It took the younger woman a moment to notice that Minerva wasn't listening to her but was instead staring at the kitchen table with a small flush mounting in her cheeks.

The third time that Hermione called her name caught the older witch's attention. "Hmmm?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes...I... Just had a picture in my mind and I do not know if it was a memory or something else."

Hope lept into chocolate eyes. "What was it?"

Minerva's blush increased exponentially at the question. "I... well... er."_ How could she tell the younger woman that she had a vision of Hermione lying naked on the kitchen table, while she touched_... Furiously she shook her head.

Chocolate eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she took in the discomfort of the older witch and then widened as she connected the dots. Her smile broadened into a wide cheeky grin. "No Tabby that was not wishful thinking... that was a memory."

"What? When? On the **kitchen **table?"

Hermione let Minerva bluster for a minute and then led her on the tour of the house. The animagus had already seen much of the downstairs, so she led her upstairs. The first door turned out to be a linen closet, the second was the large well-appointed spare bedroom. "I made up the bed in here... I didn't know where you would want to sleep."

The ebony haired witch took a deep breath, "I think that I should sleep here... for now." She saw the flash of pain in the younger womans eyes, "Hermione... It is just that..."

"I understand. I may not like it but I do understand."

The next door off of the hallway was slightly ajar, a dim light shining through the opening. "Cerys' room?"

"Yes." Another door contained the family bathroom and the final door led to their bedroom. Hermione placed a hand on it, making it slowly swing open. A huge bed dominated the room. Due to the dim light Minerva could not see anymore detail than that. Neither of them seemed to want to go inside.

"The... ah... study is upstairs." Hermione led her up a steep staircase, to a room that was clearly unfinished. The walls were bare stone and the roof timbers were exposed, floorboards were sanded ready for waxing. A desk and several bookshelves were lined up against the far wall.

"How long have we lived here?"

The young woman noticed that Minerva no longer hesitated when she used the word 'we' – she chose to take it as a good sign. "About eighteen months. We bought it a year earlier, it was almost a shell – it took the better part of twelve months to get it liveable and we have been working on one room at a time. The study is the last to do."

"No magic?"

"It turned out after the war that many of the people killed or disappeared by Voldemort were found because their properties had been built, reinforced, decorated, warded and were maintained by magic. That amount of magical resonance in a small space is like a red flag. We determined that purchasing a derelict muggle property and renovating it by muggle methods would not leave a trace. The relatively small amount of magic required to ward it will easily be dismissed."

"Still noticeable."

Hermione gave a grin, "That's the beauty of this property." She gestured to the large window.

Minerva stepped over to it and looked out. Her eyes spotted a very familiar shape in the distance. "Hogwarts."

"We are only a few miles from the school as the owl flies. Any magical resonance detected would be ignored here."

"You would make a wonderful teacher." There was a soft smile on Minerva's elegant face.

"I was."

"You were?"

"Yes, I taught at Hogwarts for three years before Cerys was born. At the moment I act as a substitute when required."

"What did you teach?"

"Potions."

They both walked down the stairs. Minerva led the way down the hallway but stopped suddenly outside their daughters bedroom. Moving stealthily she opened the door. Cerys was laying in a sprawl of arms and legs, fast asleep. The animagus walked into the room and slowly, tenderly pulled the girls blanket up to cover her.

Gently Minerva smoothed her daughters hair and stroked the soft cheek with the back of her fingers. Emerald eyes were looking down in wonderment.

Hermione watched the bittersweet scene silently, Minerva had done this frequently when Cerys was a baby. She would come home from work and just hold the newborn, it had been hard to get the baby away from Minerva for long enough to feed her. Several minutes passed before the older woman dropped a final kiss on the small forehead and joined her wife in the hall.

"She is so beautiful."

"Yes she is. She has your eyes."

"Your face and your smile."

They stood there for a few minutes, just staring at each other, smiling. Hermione resisted the almost overwhelming urge to kiss her wife, knowing that she had to go slow with Minerva. "I need to go to sleep... or at least try. Your dinner should be heated up by now. Make sure that you eat it, ok?"

"Ok."

Hermione turned to head towards the bedroom but stopped when she felt her hand caught in a familiar grip. Enquiring chocolate eyes fixed on the older woman, who merely squeezed her hand. "Goodnight."

* * *

><p>Later that evening Minerva walked past the bedroom she was using and checked on her daughter who was still sleeping soundly. She couldn't ignore the impulse to walk further along and check on her... wife. Shifting into her cat form she padded through the slightly open door and into the master bedroom.<p>

Hermione was lying on the far side of the bed, curled up on her side. That alone made Minerva start, the free half of the bed was the one that she would customarily sleep on. The 'spare' pillow was missing from its place, clutched against the young womans face as she slept.

On the wall was a blown up muggle canvas of them on their wedding day, they looked so happy. Hermione was radiant in a white dress, dark hair woven with sparkling silver strands and white flowers. Minerva was dressed in dark green and gold robes, her long ebony hair was braided with strands of gold. They stood before Hogwarts, silhouetted against the ancient stone castle and the setting sun. It was a beautiful scene and the two women were obviously deeply, madly in love.

Stealthily the cat explored the room, looking at everything. She could see her own tastes in the way that the room was decorated but someone with a greater flair than her had added a flourish that she had never been able to create in a home. Bright, bold coloured accessories showcased neutral walls – in a way that was nothing short of inspired. Everything was tasteful, expensive but understated.

A soft noise distracted her from the exploration. It was a muffled sob. The cat rounded the bed, Hermione was curled up into a ball crying into Minerva's pillow. It was the most pitiful thing that she had ever seen.

Without even thinking the small tabby jumped onto the bed and began to lick frantically at the tear-streaked face. Hermione continued to cry for a few minutes but eventually chuckled and pushed the insistent cat away from her suddenly sore skin. She wrapped her arms around Minerva and lay back against the pillows, holding her tight.

"Stubborn witch!"

"Meerow."

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Thank you all for the well-wishes about my personal angst - I do appreciate the support. Unfortunately it is not something that will change until the USA change their position on federal recognition of same-sex marriage & therefore immigration rights of same-sex partners. If you want to know more, search online for The DOMA project.**

**On a lighter note - here's the update. Working on chapter 3 already.**

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><p>The look on Hermione's face each morning sent an almost physical stab of pain into Minerva's heart.<p>

It was hopeful...

Wishful...

Full of yearning...

Desperately questioning.

...And every morning she had to break the younger womans heart all over again.

This morning Minerva put hand on the younger womans, "I thought that perhaps I should go back to Hogwarts. Maybe something there will jog my memory."

"Maybe... but Minerva, the specialist said that it was too soon."

"What on Earth does he know? I am a consummate workaholic."

The younger witch sighed, "Tabby..."

"Hermione... I need to get my memory back. I cannot stand to look into your eyes every morning and see the pain that I am causing you."

The chestnut haired woman stood and paced for a few minutes. "That isn't something that you can help."

"Perhaps not but I am going to do my damndest to solve the problems that I am causing!"

"...Ok."

"Hmmm?"

"You can go."

"Nice that I have your permission." Minerva's voice was a little dry, a little sarcastic but she gently hugged the younger woman to take the sting out of her words. "I need to try... please understand that."

"I know."

"What's happening Mummy, Mother?"

Immediately the two witches let go of each other and turned to their daughter, who was worriedly staring at the teaching robes that Minerva was wearing.

"It is alright sweetheart, I am only going to go to work for a few hours."

"Noooo!" The girl screamed and ran out of the room.

Hermione immediately started following her but Minerva caught the younger womans arm. "Let me handle this, please!"

Chocolate eyes sceptically looked at the amnesiac – after all 'Minerva' had only known their daughter for a week from her perspective. Could the older woman really deal with the uncharacteristic tantrum and calm the feisty child down? She nodded despite her misgivings, seeing the concern and determination shining in emerald eyes and she had to agree.

Minerva rushed into the living room, somehow knowing that it was where Cerys would be. "Sweetheart?"

The youngster stopped crying long enough to snap, "Lemme alone!"

"I cannot do that Cerys."

"Why not?"

"Because I love you." The girl gave a violent sniffle and began to rub at her face, still crying. "Come here." Minerva opened her arms and hugged her daughter when Cerys jumped into her embrace. "Now tell me what is wrong."

The reply came out in fits and starts, interrupted by tears and sniffles. "You always say 'just a few hours'." Her impersonation of Minerva's subtle brogue was almost perfect. "And you never are. You're never here norm'ly. I've liked this week."

"You know that I do not remember anything that happened in the past. I have really liked the past week too. I promise that I will be here by the time you are back from school."

"Promise?"

"Yes I promise."

Cerys stopped crying and hugged her mother tightly. "Can I have a puppy?"

Minerva laughed. "I tell you what... I'll bring you a present but not a puppy."

"...'Kay."

The witch kissed her daughters forehead fondly. She glanced over the girls head for the first time to see Hermione standing in the doorway, she had known that her wife had been there all along but this was the first time that she acknowledged the fact. Minerva raised an eyebrow at the happy look on pretty features.

"Finish getting ready for school please Cerys."

"Yes Mummy." The girl ran off, leaving the two women staring at each other.

"Thank you Minerva."

"There is no need to thank me. I meant what I said in the hospital... I will not neglect either of you ever again."

Hermione shook her head, "Without your memories, you cannot make that promise."

A wave of Minerva's wand slammed the door closed and soundproofed the room. "Like hell I can't!" The animagus grabbed Hermione by both arms, her emerald eyes boring into the younger witch.

"You two are my family. I am not going to ruin that just because I lost my bloody memory. And even if I did suddenly remember, this is my second chance – do you not understand that? My amnesia was a 'wake up call', my chance to be a better mother and a... a... better wife."

Hermione shook her own arms free, the pain and anger that she had been trying to repress coming to the fore. "But if you can't remember... how can you possibly be my wife?"

They stared at each other for a long moment, Minerva fought her rising anger and paused – thinking carefully before she replied. "Hermione... I... I fell in love with you once and I will not deny that I am feeling... things for you. Even if my memory does not come back – I think that I am going to fall in love with you all over again. I want us to be a family, I really do and all I ask is that you give me a chance to prove it."

Hermione felt tears spring into her eyes as she heard Minerva's heartfelt plea. The older woman pulled her into the second hug that they had shared that morning, muttering comforting words into her ear. After a few moments they pulled back.

"Just don't come home with a puppy, ok?" There were more important things that needed to be said but it wasn't the right time and they both knew it.

"I am not planning on it but why not?"

"Well... firstly, She is too young to have her own dog and secondly you do not like dog fur on the carpet, thirdly... Tabby... you are a cat!"

"Indeed."

Minerva's elegant fingers rose to trace Hermione's chin, in a gesture that was oddly familiar to her. She wanted to lean in and kiss the younger woman. During the past week, everytime that she touched her wife – she felt a sudden spike in her hormones and this time was no exception. But she didn't act on the urge, if she had it would have been driven by her body and not her heart.

It would have been wrong...

There was a polite knock on the door. Hermione smiled at her wife and magically opened it.

"Were you kissing or fighting?" Cerys asked.

Minerva laughed, leaving Hermione to answer the impudent question. "Neither... You ready?"

"Yup." Earnest, eager emerald eyes hopefully looked up into the soft emerald gaze of her mother, trying to silently remind her about the promise she had made. Seeing the answer that she sought in the burningly honest orbs that were identical to her own.

"I promise, I will be here when you get home."

The hopeful scepticism in the girls face was almost heart-breaking.

* * *

><p>Minerva glared at the gargoyle. "I am the Headmistress and you will let me in because I say so – password be damned."<p>

"Of course Headmistress."

"Thank you." It was grudging, Minerva hated to be beholden to what amounted to an enchanted rock. It slid aside and she mounted the stairs to what was in her mind – Albus Dumbledore's office. At first she thought that the huge room was empty but then she heard a sigh from behind a towering stack of parchment.

"Filius?"

"Minerva. This is a surprise." She heard the diminutive professor squeak but still could not see him.

"I was hoping that being here might help me remember but..."

"But this chaos won't help." The tiny professor walked around the teetering mound of paperwork and moved towards his colleague. "How are you Minerva?"

"Truthfully... confused, upset. I do not know where to begin. Do you have time for a cup of tea?"

"No but I will make the time."

Minerva sat down watching as Filius rang a small silver bell to summon a house elf. He ordered tea for two before sitting next to the elegant woman. "How are things at home?"

"Confusing but good... Confusingly good... Surprisingly so."

He laughed at the expression on her face. "Hermione is a gorgeous young woman isn't she?" He had seen that dreamy hormone befuddled look on her face before and despite popular opinion – it wasn't that hard to read Minerva, not if you knew her.

The Headmistress nodded, not trusting her voice for a moment. What he was implying was true, Hermione was very much her idea of an attractive female. "It is a rather complicated situation."

"Yes but if I know you Minerva, most of the complications are of your own making."

"Perhaps but I still struggle to reconcile my memories of Hermione with the fact that she is my wife."

Filius stirred several cubes of sugar into his tea, "May I make an observation?"

"By all means."

"You have been so happy since you and Hermione got together, happier than I had ever seen you and while it might be hard to imagine at the moment... The two of you are well-matched and you make a wonderful couple."

Wryly Minerva observed to herself that Filius, as always got right to the heart of a matter. "Which brings me on to my next concern." She waved her hand indicating the huge amount of paperwork that had accumulated during the week.

"Yes I am sorry for getting so behind, I never realised how much work that you took on. You did most of my work as well as your own, in addition to running Gryffindor tower since Hermione left... in only a week my domestic life has suffered, as has my teaching and...my wife isn't happy"

"I understand. I have no memory of making that decision but I have seen the repercussions of it ever since I awoke in St. Mungos. I have a wonderful wife who seems to accept without question the fact that I am hardly ever at home and a beautiful daughter who cries because I do not take the time to appreciate her."

"I have told you often enough that you take on too much."

"And I am sure that I did not 'hear you'. Things are going to have to change. Firstly can you prepare a dossier on the administrative changes of the last decade?"

"I already did." An effortless charm brought a thick folder flying across the room.

Minerva sighed at the weight of it. "Take the rest of the morning off my old friend. I need to go to The Ministry. I will be back after lunch, I may be a few minutes late however."

"Why, you are never late?"

"I have to stop in Diagon Alley and pick up a gift for my daughter."

* * *

><p>"Let me get this straight Minerva, you want an Administrative Assistant?"<p>

"No. I need an Administrator, which is rather different. There has been such a position at Hogwarts over the centuries but it has been unfilled ever since I became Deputy Headmistress. Ideally the candidate needs a strong background in administration and will be able to take over the Head of House responsibilities from me."

"So a Gryffindor who enjoys paperwork... I may just have the person for you."

Kingsley scrawled a note on a sheet of parchment and charmed it into an aeroplane which flew out of the room. He then proceeded to offer her refreshments while they waited. "This young man has been looking for a change for some time, however he is unlikely to progress further at the ministry. Moving to Hogwarts would not only advance his career but would also give him a substantial pay rise."

A few minutes passed. Minerva was rapidly becoming irritated with people interrogating her about her wellbeing. Kingsley was no exception, he was currently trying to engage her in a conversation about her health. The constant stream of people asking her was she 'alright?' or 'have you remembered anything yet?' was driving her crazy.

She tried to remain gracious and so ignored his chattering. Her mind turned as it so often did lately... to Hermione. The paralysing guilt that Minerva had felt had faded, leaving only a slight 'forbidden fruit' aspect to her attraction. The younger witch was incredibly intelligent, witty, passionate about her beliefs, a wonderful companion and physically she was stunning.

A knock at the door interrupted them both. "Come in." The invitation came simultaneously from two sets of lips. Minerva felt her face twist in a wry smile when Kingsley shot an irritated glare at her. A man walked into the room, one she recognised by the distinctive flash of red hair above neat formal robes.

"Minister?... Headmistress?"

"Hello Percy."

"Mr Weasley."

The most pedantic Weasley seemed curious as to the reason of the summons. Minerva turned to Kingsley, "I think that you may be right." He chuckled in response to her comment. "Mr Weasley, I find myself in need of a person with your particular talents."

"Anything I can do to help Headmistress."

Minerva gestured to the free chair adjacent to her own. "We at Hogwarts have need of an administrator and head of Gryffindor Tower. Kingsley and I both agree that you would be a wonderful candidate."

"Thank you both... Um... What would it involve?"

"Primarily you would be there to take the majority of the paperwork from Professor Flitwick and I. You would be in charge of ordering supplies for the various departments. In addition you would need to see to the needs of the Gryffindor students. Historically the position of administrator would put you on par with the other professors, although you would not have the same title."

"I see. When would you need me to start?"

"Right now would be fine. Last week would have been better still."

Kingsley laughed, "You come here to poach my staff and then try to take him without notice."

"The situation is rather urgent at the current time Minister." The tone in Minerva's voice was more telling than her words.

"Percy how long will it take you to brief Erica on the Lieper case?"

"Not long, she is already up to date with everything prior to the last deposition."

"Then brief her and report to Hogwarts this afternoon. We can resolve any outstanding details later."

Percy nodded to his current employer and turned towards Minerva who handed him a simple looking key on a chain. "This will allow you passage through the gates and the password to the office is Cerys." The Headmistress had been pleased when Filius had told her the password, it proved that she had thought about her family. With that in mind once again she took her leave of the two men and left the office heading towards Diagon Alley.

* * *

><p>The look on Percy's face when he saw the mass of paperwork covering every surface in the office was priceless. The young man looked faint and ever so slightly ill. Bright blue eyes flicked around the office, summing up the chaos in a matter of seconds.<p>

"Where is my office?"

Minerva chuckled and led the young man downstairs. The administrators office had been closed off and unused for decades but was off of the entrance hall. A wave of her wand revealed a door that had a large window next to it. "In the old days the school administrator would be responsible for a great percentage of student discipline and so a window was installed. Feel free to renovate and decorate your office as you see fit." She showed him into the room.

The office had two parts. The first next to the window had a comfortable seating area, extensive shelving and a desk, it was more of a waiting area or interview room than an office. A door led into the private office, it had a floo, a large desk and several empty filing cabinets, along with more shelving. Percy smiled, knowing that despite the dust and air of disuse – he would be very comfortable here.

The young man placed two shrunken bags on the floor, keeping one over his shoulder. "Would you like to see your quarters now?"

He paused, "No thank you Headmistress. I would like to get started on the paperwork if that would be amenable."

"That sounds perfect. I will be able to assist you for the next two hours but then I will have to leave, as I have a prior appointment. Ring the silver bell and a house elf will come to take your bags to your quarters. I will return in a few minutes."

Percy watched her imperiously sweep from the room, for a moment seeing just what his brothers friend saw in the older woman. He shook his head wryly and waved his wand, dusting the room and unpacking his office supplies with economical skill. He placed the bag that contained clothing and personal items next to the two now empty ones on the floor. Taking Minerva's advice he rang for an elf to take them to his room.

* * *

><p>Hermione popped in to visit her parents that afternoon. She still had more than an hour before she had to pick Cerys up from her muggle school but she didn't want to wait at home – in case Minerva forgot the promise that she had made. If she had been waiting there, she would have been watching the clock – hoping.<p>

Instead...

"Hi Mum!" The younger woman called up the stairs of the semi-detached house that she had grown up in.

"Be down in a minute, be a dear and stick the kettle on?"

With a chuckle Hermione filled the kettle with water and placed it back on its base, absently flicking the switch with her hand. She grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard and started to make them both a drink. The tea was brewing in the mugs when her mother came downstairs and pulled her into a hug.

"Come into the living room." Hermione followed Jean Granger into the other room. "How is Minerva?"

"You know Minerva, she's hating when people ask her that."

"I figured as much, which is why I haven't been bombarding the two of you with owls."

Hermione leant back against the familiar sofa and closed her eyes for a long moment. "Sometimes she gets a flash of memory. A single scene will pop into her mind but not the story behind it, so she can take a single moment out of context."

"That must be awkward."

"Yeah, it is." The young woman picked up her mug of tea and blew across it, trying to cool the scalding liquid – more out of a desire to keep her hands and mind busy, than from any desperate desire to drink. "She's... getting over the guilt of being married to someone who was her student. Is being wonderful and attentive to Cerys."

"But?"

"...But she doesn't seem to know how to react to me. She blushes when she finds herself looking at me and is still fighting against being attracted to me."

"Have you discussed trying to jog her memory by... being intimate?"

Chocolate eyes looked up at her mother in abject shock. "Um... er... No!"

"Perhaps you should at least consider sharing a bed. From what I recall of amnesia, it is important to try and resume normal life as soon as possible."

Finally the liquid cooled enough for Hermione to take a judicious sip. "She went back to work today, against doctors advice."

"And you didn't stop her?"

"Minerva made a good point. She spent most of her time at work and while she loves Cerys and I – her work is a vocation. I am hoping that it will help her remember. I just... I want the woman I love to come back to me." Tears pricked at Hermione's lashes but she fought them back.

"That's understandable but..."

"But what..?"

"But it could have been worse, you could have lost her."

Pain flashed in Hermione's eyes as she realised the truth in her mothers words. The loss of Minerva's memories was nothing compared to the thought of loosing her. "Yeah." The single word was a whisper.

A hand ruffled Hermione's unruly locks. "I'm sure that she will get her memories back but if not - you will get through this. You and Minerva love each other."

"Can she love me if she cannot remember our life together?" Hermione chuckled but there was no humour in it.

"Love is not solely dependant on memory, there is more to it than that. Everything will be alright."

"I hope so." They chatted for a few more minutes before Hermione left to get her daughter.

* * *

><p>Cerys practically bounced out of the classroom, she was the first out of the door and ran over to Hermione with her lunchbox in one hand and her bag in the other. "Mummy."<p>

"Hello sweetheart, did you have a nice day?"

"Yes Mummy. Can we go home now?"

Hermione smiled at her daughter, "You're not wasting any time are you?"

"No I wanna see if..." The girl cut off, looking as though she was about to cry. "Can we ap'rate home?" This last part was uttered in a whisper.

The young woman looked down at the desperation on her daughters face. "Ok." Normally they walked to the nearest public floo several streets away but it looked as though today would be an exception. Hermione took her daughter by the hand out of the school gates and into a copse of trees, clutching the girl to her they apparated into the front garden of The Anchorage.

* * *

><p>A part of Hermione wanted to take Cerys aside and find some way of freeing Minerva from her promise. She didn't want the girl to be disappointed in her mother once again. Too many commitments had been broken over the years for her to fully believe her wife. The brunette shook her head, trying to dispel that thought – even if Minerva had been caught up at work, she would have sent an owl, she always did.<p>

And so it was with a deep breath that Hermione opened the front door. Cerys dropped her bag and ran down the hallway, looking in the living room. The young woman shut the door.

"In the kitchen." A raised voice sounded from the other end of the house. Hermione rested her head against the door, relieved beyond all measure at the sound of that Scottish brogue.

Slowly the young mother made her way down the hallway, to find her wife and daughter embracing in the kitchen. Hermione couldn't help but smile. Emerald eyes glanced upward, crinkling at the corners as Minerva returned the grin.

The older woman stared at Hermione for a long moment before standing up. Minerva held Cerys to her with one arm and pulled her wife into a hug with the other. For a long time the small family held each other in the kitchen. The young witch couldn't help the tears that flowed.

When they separated Minerva saw the moisture on Hermione's face before the younger woman turned towards the window to hide her tears. "Cerys, go get changed and wash your hands. I will make you a snack."

"And my present?"

"And your present too."

The girl left and Minerva turned to Hermione, wrapping her arms around the young womans waist. "I did not mean to make you cry."

"Not your fault."

"If I hug you more often, will it make you cry more or less?"

A chuckle. "Less... I think."

"That is what I will do then." Strong hands moved down to Hermione's waist and slowly turned her around. Minerva pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the wetness from the younger womans cheeks. She pulled her close for a long, long moment until she heard the clatter of feet on the stairs.

Emerald eyes stared into watery chocolate before Minerva leant in to kiss Hermione's cheek. A second later she turned to face her daughter, "What would you like to eat?"

"Nana samwich."

"A _banana sandwich?_"

"Ba-narna Samdwich."

Minerva grinned and began to make her daughter a snack. "Hermione, tea or coffee?"

"I'd murder a coffee."

"Then a coffee you shall have."


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. Sorry about the time that this has taken. Had a bit of an accident with my hand, couldn't move my fingers and typing with my left hand was too slow. But hey... "I'm baaack!"**

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><p>The following evening<p>

Hermione heard the sounds of slow footsteps moving up the stairs to the attic office. Cerys had been in bed for a few hours and she was working on an article. The door opened and Minerva smiled at her warmly, "Busy?"

"Not really Tabby. Just editing that article I wrote about the new tax laws. Nothing that can't wait."

Minerva held out her hand invitingly. "Come with me?"

Frowning at the mysterious expression on elegant features, Hermione reached out and allowed the older woman to pull her up and out of her seat. Silently she followed Minerva downstairs and into the kitchen. "Tabby... wha?"

"Trust me."

Hermione watched as Minerva dropped her hand and opened the back door. The animagus gestured for Hermione to step out onto the stone quay. When the young woman did so, she laughed out loud in surprise and delight.

Minerva had transfigured their patio furniture into a large comfortable sofa and two tables. One was a low coffee table in front of the couch, it held a large tray with cheese, fruit and assorted nibbles on it. A small end table held two crystal wine glasses and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. A low fire burned in a brazier nearby, keeping the chill off of the air but was not so bright that it overpowered the stars shining in the sky above the loch.

"This is wonderful Minerva."

A slow smile spread across the older womans face.

Hermione sat down, lost in thought for a moment. Before she had become pregnant Minerva's romantic gestures had been grandiose; weekends in Paris, meals out in Italy, a night in Vegas, camping on the shores of a tropical lake, renting a whole island for their honeymoon. Since Cerys had been born the romantic gestures had subsided to the occasional bunch of flowers, a footrub or a hot bath. Never had Minerva done anything this simple but meaningful.

"You really like it?"

"Yes. Of course."

"I am glad." Minerva poured them both a glass of wine, before sitting next to the younger witch. They sat for a few minutes listening to the sounds of the water, looking at the stars, sipping wine and generally soaking up the ambience.

"What prompted this?"

"Oh..." Minerva's voice was coy, almost flirtatious, "A number of things."

"Such as?" One of Hermione's eyebrows lifted and she smirked.

"Well it has been pointed out to me that you are gorgeous and that I should consider myself rather lucky..." She smiled at the younger woman, embarrassed but oddly confident at the same time, "And I find myself wanting to talk to you, to spend time in your company... in a relaxed setting."

"Is this a date?"

"If you don't mind..."

"Not at all. Quite the opposite."

They both smiled. "Good." Minerva turned slightly, allowing her knee to brush against the younger womans. "Why is it that you call me Tabby?"

The smile broadened mischievously, "Well one day we were toying with various pet names. Nothing seemed to fit and I saw you in your animagus form. Tabby worked."

"And what is your pet name?"

Hermione blushed furiously. Leaving Minerva confused for a moment until she realised that whatever the young womans nickname was, it was somewhat risqué.

"Did we spend all of our time together in the bedroom?" There was a pause, "Or on the kitchen table?"

The cheeky witch laughed. "Not at all. We did other stuff too. But at first... yes we did spend a lot of time making love."

"I wish I could remember."

Hermione bit down the obvious response that she felt the same and instead said, "We can make new memories."

"True."

Tentatively two hands reached for each other, touching, holding, clinging together. They moved onto different topics for a while, both knowing that they were only distracting themselves from the harder subjects. Some time passed while they drank wine and nibbled.

"Why do you accept the fact that I am always working, that I take on more work than I need to, that I am hardly ever home and rarely keep my commitments to you?"

Hermione frowned, "Minerva, I knew who you were and what you were like long before I married you. I would be a fool to do anything other than accept it."

"Do you wish that I were at home more?"

"Yes, in a way. It would be lovely to have a wife who is home every evening but that isn't you. We did spend a lot more time together when I worked at Hogwarts... but..."

"And Cerys?"

"Cerys wants you here all the time, you know that. In the past it was hard for you to get here early enough to see her. She doesn't understand that most of your meetings go on long past her bedtime."

"I have put a system in place that should ensure that I have more time available for you both."

Hermione raised an eyebrow in question.

"I have employed Percy Weasley as school administrator and head of Gryffindor."

The young womans eyes flashed with jealousy for a moment at the thought of her cubs being under the care of another even though it had been six years. "He'll love that." It was nothing but the truth.

"He already does. Freeing myself and Filius from the paperwork means that we should have far more free time. I fully intend on spending it with Cerys and you, rather than on work."

"We would both like that."

Minerva reached out and brushed her fingertips against Hermione's cheek. "So would I." Her smile was warm, tender, caring and something deeper shone in that emerald gaze. After a few moments she relaxed back against the sofa cushions, keeping her eyes on her wife. "How did...this... start?" Elegant fingers waved back and forth, indicating the two of them and their situation.

Hermione gave a chuckle and ate a grape before responding. "We became friends. The Ministry had announced a wizarding holiday for a month before any rebuilding could begin. Initially I had planned to return to Hogwarts in September but once we... my plans changed and I took my NEWTS... You were bored, you know how you get with nothing to do."

"Mmmm hmmm."

"Harry and Ron were at the Weasleys and I didn't want to intrude into their grieving. Somehow we both ended up in the same aisle in Flourish and Blotts, we talked about how bored we both were and just started spending time with each other."

Minerva was loving the sweet smile on Hermione's face as the younger woman reminisced about their relationship. "What did we do?"

"It started off with long conversations over tea. Then we went to a concert. Long walks in the country, dinner. That kind of thing."

"And then?"

"Then we started hugging and holding hands but neither of us ever talked about it. One day you walked me home after dinner... we stood at the doorway for ages. It was a weird feeling, neither of us wanted to say goodnight and the next thing I knew we were kissing."

"Just like that?"

"Pretty much. One moment we were standing around awkwardly and then your lips were on mine."

"Then what happened?"

"You stammered an apology and ran."

Minerva blushed, she could easily imagine herself doing that. "That... must have made a lousy first kiss."

"Actually it was wonderful. Natural, needed, wanted. And I knew that you would be back, after a kiss like that."

"How could you be sure?"

Hermione coughed and took a sip of wine. "Because I realised in that moment that everything had been leading up to that kiss. I realised that I was in love with you and that I had always been and always would be. You couldn't have kissed me like that and not felt the same."

"But how could you know?"

"I just did." Sincerity and love burned in chocolate eyes in fervent testimony.

Minerva felt herself react to that gaze. Without thinking she brought her hand back up to Hermione's face, fingers caressing soft skin before slipping into unruly chestnut curls. She leant closer, "And what did that feel like?"

"Kinda like this." Full lips gently brushed against the older womans. It was a soft kiss, fleeting and brief. Minerva felt her hormones flare up in response to the contact that was entirely new yet somehow familiar. She shifted her weight towards the younger woman, pressing her own mouth against Hermione's.

A curious tongue slipped between the young womans lips. Caressing, exploring, tasting. The sensation was exquisite, prompting a moan to erupt from somewhere deep within Minerva. Hermione felt the hand in her hair tighten, pulling her closer as the older witch deepened the kiss still further.

For Hermione it was... different. It was still Minerva kissing her, the same lips and body pressing against her own. But the nuances were different, in a way that the younger woman found strangely exciting.

They separated, both breathing hard. Minerva kept Hermione pulled tight against her, pressing her face into the younger womans shoulder. Her hands were caressing chestnut curls, tangling in the unruly tresses. The witch in her arms was far more appealing than any other witch had ever been. A primal part of the animagus was also very conscious of the fact that Hermione was the mother of her child.

After a few minutes Minerva untangled herself from the younger woman. She brushed her lips against a soft cheek. "Wow..."

Hermione chuckled at the very un-Minerva-esque exclamation. "That was a wow."

"Really?" The older woman tried to hide her uncertainty by picking up her wine glass. She wanted to know that she kissed at least as well as 'the other Minerva'.

"Yes really... a little different."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. Not at all. In fact it was a wonderful kiss."

"Do you wish it was her?"

"She _is_ you Minerva. You need to understand that." Lips caressed an elegant cheek, "You are the same woman I fell in love with, the woman that I have slept next to for almost a decade. If you cannot remember, we will make new memories together. Concentrate on the here and now."

"The here and now... Like having a gorgeous woman in my arms?"

Hermione gave her trademark Cheshire cat grin. "And what are you going to do about that?"

The older witch smirked and her voice dropped to a whisper, "...Kiss her"

"So kiss me."

And Minerva did.

* * *

><p>The next morning Minerva walked into the kitchen whistling happily. Hermione and Cerys looked up from their breakfast with identical expressions of amused surprise. The Headmistress bounced over and dropped a kiss on her daughters hair, "Good morning."<p>

"Morning Mum."

"And good morning to you." Minerva's emerald eyes twinkled flirtatiously and her hand slid onto Hermione's hip. Her lips sought the younger womans in a kiss that should have been brief but wasn't. They separated only when Cerys started giggling.

"I saved you breakfast."

"Thank you."

They grinned at each other for a minute before Minerva sat down and began to tuck into her meal. "Mum?"

"Yes Cerys?" Minerva smiled, knowing what her daughter had in mind.

"I'm doing what you said and readin' the book you gived me."

"Well done."

"Can I really get a puppy when I've readed it?"

"When you have _read _it... We as a family can decide. And any dog that we get would be a family dog. Not yours. Ok?"

"K." Cerys stuffed a spoonful of coco-pops into her mouth.

"Hermione?"

The younger woman turned to face her wife, "Tabby?"

"Come here."

Concerned, the brunette walked over to the table. She squealed as she felt herself lifted off of her feet, scooped into Minerva's arms. Lips brushed against Hermione's forehead, as the older witch held her tightly.

_Minerva could feel the sun beating down on her shoulders and the back of her head. She was walking across a sandy beach towards a beach house. There was a welcome weight in her arms and she smiled at the white clad young woman she was carrying. Shouldering open the door Minerva, carried Hermione over the threshold..._

_Standing in a sunlit room, kissing the younger woman. Their hands exploring ravenously as Minerva began to pull at the laces that would render Hermione naked in front of her. The white dress fell slowly to the floor, revealing pale skin, the darker shade of erect nipples. The older womans emerald gaze was drawn lower..._

"Minerva?"

The animagus snapped out of her reverie. Shaking her head, trying to dispel the sudden headache that the memory had wrought. "We were... I was carrying you across a beach and into a house. Then I was..." She remembered their audience and changed tact, "You **were **wearing a white dress."

Hermione smiled broadly, partly because of the memory and partly because Minerva had remembered it. "That was the first day of our honeymoon. We had barely said 'I do' before you swept me into your arms and disapparated. You'd rented that whole tiny island. It was wonderful."

Minerva scrunched up her face as she focussed on the newly unburied memory, "That was your wedding dress? You looked stunning! Although you looked even more stunning once I had..."

Hermione cleared her throat again reminding her wife that their daughter was sat right there, listening.

"Oh...I... It was a nice memory."

"Yes." Hermione breathed in a whisper. Softly, fleetingly her lips brushed against Minerva's jaw. She couldn't help the rush of desire that coursed through her body at the memory of what had occurred in that sunlit room years before.

The older woman could feel the faint tremor that shook the limbs of the beautiful witch in her arms. She instantly guessed the reason why and smirked down at Hermione, holding the young woman tighter. Her other hand plucked a piece of toast from her plate.

"Are you going to put me down?"

"No."

"Never?"

Warm, brimming emerald eyes looked down tenderly. "I will never let you go." The two women stared at each other and Hermione realised with a flash of inspiration that despite lacking the memories of their years together, Minerva **was **falling in love with her anew and that her own feelings were stronger than ever.

A few moments passed, "What time are we due at your mothers for lunch?"

"One-ish."

"Are you going to work Mum?" A little voice piped up.

"I thought that perhaps we could all go to Hogwarts, there is something there that I would like to show you both."

"Not working?"

"No Cerys, I am not working until Monday."

"The whole weekend off?"

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Cerys quietly stood in Minerva's office, curiously looking up at the portrait that her mummy was talking to. Her mother was speaking to a small man answering a few questions. They had been here for five minutes already and she was bored. She knew better than to say anything though, on the rare occasions when she had been allowed in Hogwarts – it had been drilled into her head to remain still and quiet.<p>

"Cerys... thank you for being so patient, I will just be another minute."

The girl was stunned that her mother had noticed and paused in official business to reassure her. Her emerald eyes widened as she stared at Minerva's back, she was amazed at the difference between the mother that she knew and the woman standing in front of her.

Another minute passed and true to her word Minerva excused herself from her deputy. "Ready to go?"

"Yes Mum."

Hermione also excused herself and the small family left the office, heading up the stairs and into Minerva's private quarters. "There is something I found in the study that I thought you should see." The older woman gestured towards the door.

Hermione had been in the Headmistresses quarters only infrequently since Cerys had been born but she only realised now, that on none of those occasions had she been in Minerva's study. Looking so much like the elder witch, their daughter thrust open the door.

Chocolate eyes met inscrutable emerald, trying to determine the reason for the joyful cries that Cerys was making. Minerva merely smiled enigmatically and gestured towards the open door once again. Hermione stepped into the room and gasped...

Every wall was papered with their daughters artwork; drawings, paintings and pieces of pasta glued to cardboard. It seemed like everything that Cerys had ever made was pinned on the walls. Silver framed portraits of their family smiled at her from behind glass.

Minerva had been inordinately relieved when she had first stepped into this room. It was proof that while she might have had her priorities in the wrong order – she had kept her family in her thoughts. "You kept 'em Mum."

"Of course I did sweetheart."

Hermione turned away, keeping her face from Cerys and left the room. Minerva however saw the tears that she tried to hide. Two sets of worried emerald eyes followed her exit.

"Mum? Why is Mummy crying?" It was a whisper.

The older woman knew that she had to deal with their daughter before she could console Hermione. She sat on the desk facing Cerys. "It is very hard for her to deal with what is going on."

"Why? Thing's are better now."

"Things seem better for you sweetheart but you have to remember that sometimes things are more complicated for adults."

"Like how you don't sleep in your bed with Mummy now?"

"Yes." It was a simple admission but there was a lot of confusing emotion behind it that neither of them could fully understand.

"Would that make Mummy feel better, ya know if you did?"

Minerva couldn't help the grin that the mental image prompted, "Maybe it would."

"So why don't you?" The girls hands were on her hips, as she cocked her head and tapped her foot – looking for all the world like the young Hermione that Minerva had met so many years before.

"Not yet Cerys." She ran a tender hand over her daughters wavy hair, "It is too soon." Another pause, "Would you mind doing some drawings for me while I go and talk to Mummy?"

"Wicked!" The girl rummaged for paper happily. "I'll draw Fluffy." Minerva gave a shudder as she remembered Hagrid's three headed dog before leaving the room in search of her wife.

* * *

><p>The Headmistress didn't have to go far before she found Hermione leaning against a wall with silent tears running down her cheeks. She cast her gaze back towards the office before lifting the younger witch into her arms. Minerva opened the nearest door, which just happened to be to her bedchamber and carried her wife across the room towards the bed.<p>

Not as suave in reality as she imagined herself to be, Minerva tripped over an uneven rug and went flying. The two women landed in an ungainly heap on the bed and despite her tears Hermione began to laugh. The older witch rolled off of the younger and lay on her back chuckling at her own clumsiness.

While Minerva rarely laughed at her own expense, doing so was relaxing her wife far quicker than any words ever could have. Hermione's happiness was far more important than her own ego. The younger woman wrapped an arm around the animagus, "Thank you."

"For what exactly, almost dropping you?" Elegant features were flushed with embarrassment.

"For caring about me."

"Of course I care about you." Minerva returned the embrace, just enjoying the feel of having Hermione in her arms. "Cerys thinks that I should sleep with you and that it would make you feel better."

The brunette laughed. "Make me feel better?"

"Indeed."

"Perhaps." Flirtatious brown eyes glanced down into emerald green ones, watching as they dilated in response to her teasing. "But not yet... you aren't ready for that Tabby."

Minerva nodded with a sigh, Hermione was right – as always. "You are always right."

"And you always say that when I nag you."

"I know... I do not know how I know but I do know."

"That's good, it saves me time having to prove that I am always right." They both chuckled and just lay there for a few minutes, content to be in each others arms. It would have to be enough – for now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Thank you all for the reviews, I'm loving this story too. Hopefully it'll keep you going until I publish the next one.**

* * *

><p>Minerva stirred as her internal clock warned her that she had to be somewhere. She had one arm wrapped around Hermione and Cerys was sleeping on her other side, pressed tightly against her. Not for the first time The Headmistress thanked Merlin for the ready made family that she had awoken to.<p>

The arm that she had around the younger witch tightened and Hermione awoke in response. "Tabby?"

"It is nearly time to go to your mothers. We fell asleep."

"Cerys?"

"Is under my other arm."

Warm chocolate eyes turned to Minerva's green ones. There was love shining in them, a vastness of tender emotion that left her awestruck. Hermione's lips found hers in a kiss that was sweet and loving. The older woman responded with a vigour that surprised both of them. They parted with wry smiles and Minerva proceeded to shake their daughter awake.

* * *

><p>"Are you feeling alright Minerva?"<p>

The Headmistress started to nod but ended up shaking her head. "I am rather disconcerted by meeting people who were once mere acquaintances and are now... family."

Jean nodded, "I can see where that would disturb your equilibrium."

Minerva laughed, slightly more at ease now. "To say the least."

"How are things with you and my daughter?"

"Have you asked her that?" For the younger woman was in the garden with their daughter and her father, Minerva did not want to speak for her.

"Actually yes. I wanted your take on the situation."

Minerva left her post at the window and sat next to her mother-in-law. "Surprisingly well. Things have started to get better, we have both agreed to start moving on regardless of whether I get my memory back or not."

"I have some friends at the hospital who could be persuaded to do some tests on you. Perhaps muggle medicine may be able to help where yours cannot."

"If you could arrange that, I would be extremely grateful."

Jean squeezed the older womans shoulder, watching as emerald green eyes kept returning to the window and the view that they both had of Hermione. That alone reassured her that things would be alright between the two witches.

* * *

><p>"<em>The shield is falling!" <em>

Minerva wasn't sure if she was sleeping or awake. Wasn't sure if this was a memory or a nightmare.

_Statues and suits of armour faced their enemies, bringing down some of them but they were hopelessly outmatched and outnumbered. All they had to do was delay the advance of Voldemort's forces and hope that the faith Albus had placed in Harry Potter was justified._

_The defenders on the walls and in the towers were the main target of the death eaters now that the wards had fallen. A series of explosions told her that the wooden bridge had been destroyed. Her ebony wand sent a series of spells out over the stone causeway, hoping to cover Filius as he retreated. _

The memories deteriorated into a series of flashes as the battle intensified and moved into the hallowed halls of Hogwarts itself.

_The dead were lined up in rows and Minerva could feel a chill running through her blood that had nothing to do with the night air. She heard the sound of the mighty door scraping open as the golden trio stepped inside. Ron sobbed in his mothers arms over the body of his brother and Harry left the hall distraught. For a long moment Hermione returned her stare from across the room, something indefinable passing between them._

The respite did not last. More visions of death and destruction passed through Minerva's mind and she awoke screaming.

Hermione cast a silencing charm on the hallway as she ran towards the spare room door, she didn't want Cerys awakening. Without asking permission the young witch burst it open. Minerva was sobbing, curled into a ball on the bed. Never before had she seen her wife in this kind of state.

It had been a long time since the battle but Hermione could still remember seeing friends, Aurors and order members suffering from what could only have been described as post traumatic stress. In the weeks that had followed the battle it had been common to hear people crying out in their sleep. She stepped towards the bed, "It's ok Minerva, it's all over."

She coaxed the older witch like a wild animal into her arms. For the longest time she just held her wife, listening as the sobs abated. Once they had stopped she waved her wand removing the silencing charm. Tender hands wiped the tears from alabaster skin.

"I never imagined that there was so much destruction, so much death."

"It was a dark time." Hermione used a simple charm to levitate the older witch.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me." Nothing more needed to be said as the young woman magically carried Minerva in the direction of their marital bed. When she deposited her on the dishevelled sheets she answered the quirked eyebrow of her wife. "Our bed is far more comfortable."

"And just what do you anticipate doing tonight?"

Hermione chuckled. "Talk, maybe get some sleep." She slid under the covers and turned to her wife.

Minerva's voice quivered. "How do you deal with the memory?"

"The battle happened a long time ago. We have to remember those we lost but it was in a good cause. The war changed everything, we are rebuilding our world into a better place. That is how I cope, knowing that they did not die in vain."

"You really are an incredible witch."

"So are you actually."

Minerva brushed the hair from Hermione's forehead, her fingers unerringly finding the scar that she knew was there – having just seen the wound that had caused it in her memory. She leaned closer and kissed it. "I remember being so relieved when I saw you at the end of the battle, you were alive and mostly unhurt."

"As were you. You were limping and you had a gash on your face, your hair was mostly down and you looked so exhausted but you were keeping everything and everybody together. You looked like a goddess."

Minerva shook her head but smiled at the comment. There was something about the younger woman that made her want to throw herself into her arms. In fact there was no real reason to resist any longer. The Headmistress shifted her body so that she could slide under the sheets with Hermione, her head resting on the brunettes shoulder.

Time passed again without words before Minerva broke the silence. "Your parents seem very nice, your mother especially."

"Yeah, you two get on very well... considering that she wanted to hex you when you first met."

"She is a muggle."

"Yes but she still wanted to hex you."

"Why?"

The younger witch laughed again, "They had just come home from Australia to find that we were... involved. She wasn't happy."

"Because I had been your professor?"

"Partly. There was also the age-gap and then there was the fact that I had never told them that I liked girls. It was easier for them to try and blame you than accept the fact that I was different." She shrugged, "They got over it pretty quickly and once we had Cerys, well that cemented over any cracks in the relationship."

"Um... I was meaning to ask... how did we?"

"Transfiguration my love."

"No potions?"

"No, we wanted everything to be as natural as possible – aside from you.. changing your anatomy now and then, we just let nature take its course."

"Did we consider having any more children?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact we were 'trying' to conceive when you were injured."

Minerva sat up and interrogated her wife with intent emerald eyes. "Is there a chance that you are... carrying my child?"

"I... I don't think so, there are no symptoms or anything. To tell you the truth, with everything that has happened I haven't really thought about it."

"That would be wonderful." The words just slipped out of their own volition and Minerva knew it to be the truth.

"I... Yes it would... but it isn't the best time right now."

"Perhaps not but..." Minerva trailed off, knowing that her desire was a little selfish in light of recent events.

"I'll take a test next week, we're visiting the healers then in any case."

"Your mother is arranging for me to have a dog scam."

Hermione blinked as she consulted her internal muggle to pureblood dictionary. "You mean a CAT scan?"

"What is the difference?" For the life of her The Headmistress couldn't figure out why the younger witch was rolling around the bed in fits of laughter.

* * *

><p>A few days later<p>

Hermione apparated onto the quay behind their house, she took a long moment to smell the clean fresh air of their home in the mountains – after a long day in smoggy polluted London it was a relief. She didn't quite know what she was about to walk into, this was the first time that she had left Minerva alone with Cerys for an extended period.

Even before her wife had lost her memory, she had rarely looked after their daughter for a whole day – Hogwarts business had often meant that Cerys would be dropped off at her grandparents house or with her godparents. But this time when she had told the older witch that she had a day of meetings, The Headmistress had merely changed her day off.

Hermione reached out and opened the door. To her pleasure there was no chaos. The table was set for what appeared to be a romantic dinner and something in the oven smelled wonderful. She went in search of her family.

Soft voices sounded from their daughters room, the young witch stood outside the door quietly listening to Minerva reading a story to Cerys. She let a few minutes pass before she poked her head around the door and entered. The girl smiled sleepily at her. Hermione dropped a kiss on a tiny button nose and sat next to her wife, listening as the Scottish brogue worked its magic and sent their child to sleep.

Both women snuck out of the room and into the hallway, the younger felt herself pressed up against the wall as Minerva's lips frantically found hers in a passionate kiss. Hermione wrapped her arms around her wife and held her tightly, tangling fingers in greying ebony hair. Their tongues began to duel as the kiss deepened. Eventually they separated and stared into each others eyes.

"What prompted that?" The young woman kept her voice low to avoid waking their daughter, her smile was radiant as she looked at her wife.

"I missed you."

"Missed you too." The young woman grinned and released the witch. "I'm starving, what's for dinner?"

"Lamb casserole." Minerva took Hermione's hand and led her back towards the kitchen. She ignored the young womans offer of help and instead poured them both a glass of wine. "Sit, relax and tell me about your day."

"There's nothing much to tell. They assigned me a few editorials and we had a brainstorming session about what to add to the paper."

"It sounds like you enjoy your job at The Prophet."

Hermione took a sip of the liquid and smiled, "I do. At first I thought that I wouldn't but it grew on me."

Minerva began to serve their meal and lit the candles with a wave of her hand. She placed a loaded plate in front of her wife. "Do not complain about the portion size, just eat it. I would bet that you missed lunch today." Hermione grinned again and she began to tuck into her meal. Scooping up tender meat, vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes on her spoon, she was almost channelling Ron Weasley as she gulped her food down. "Mmmm good."

The older woman smirked and began to eat. Once Hermione's immediate hunger was sated, conversation began to flow freely between them. "About seven years ago we went to a conference in Vegas. It took the American Ministry weeks to clear up the damage caused by a group of drunken witches and wizards let loose in casinos."

Minerva laughed at the mental image but stopped abruptly as an even more ludicrous vision flashed behind her eyes. "Why do I have the memory of a circular bed that shook when you gave it a galleon?"

Raucous laughter escaped the younger woman. "We spent our leisure time in our suite and it had a vibrating bed. We tried it out once to see what it was like."

"And?"

"And it made me seasick."

* * *

><p>Another glass of wine later and they were sitting on the sofa, very close together. Minerva's arm was around Hermione's shoulders and the younger witch had a hand on her wife's firm thigh. Conversation had gradually faded as their kissing had increased.<p>

It no longer felt to strange to have that kind of contact, the older woman had vanquished her personal demons and found that kissing Hermione was something that she wanted to do a lot more of. Minerva's new attentiveness greatly appealed to the younger witch and she responded to her kisses with gusto.

"Come to bed with me?"

Minerva looked at Hermione in shock.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just want to be next to you, to feel the warmth of your body against mine."

"I am not sure that I can control myself."

"Why don't we find out?"

It was the second time in a few days that they entered their marital bedroom together. This time Minerva was moving under her own steam and there were no tears. In fact there was an odd awkwardness to it, neither spoke for a minute before Hermione moved around the bed to stand at her own side.

Another moment passed and the young witch reached under the pillows for her nightdress. She placed it on the bedspread, took a deep breath and started to unbutton her blouse. Emerald green eyes widened, like a deer caught in headlights. Hermione ignored the change in the older womans breathing and calmly slipped the garment off. If they were going to be together then Minerva would have to get used to seeing her at least partially naked.

The animagus began to chuckle.

"What?" That was not a reaction that Hermione expected.

"Your bra."

The young woman looked down, it was only her work bra. Why was Minerva laughing? "What?"

"It's all grey where you keep washing it."

"Ooooh. Well it's my favourite. I've had it years."

"I can believe that."

"Oi!" Hermione shook her head, disbelievingly. "It is very comfortable."

Minerva's jokes stopped when Hermione unfastened the offending bra and slipped the straps off of her shoulders, revealing firm breasts. In fact the older witch almost forgot to breathe and her mouth became dry. The young woman smirked and her hands went to the button on her trousers.

The animagus just stared open-mouthed as her wife completely disrobed in front of her. She had seen the younger woman naked in a handful of memories but nothing could do the vision of beauty before her justice. When that gorgeous body was covered in a short cotton gown, the older witch could breathe again.

"Like what you saw?" That cheeky grin was back and Hermione slid underneath the covers. "Your turn now."

Minerva reached under her pillow, hoping that there was something to wear underneath it and that she wouldn't have to go searching for nightclothes. Her hand found a simple jade green silken slip and she pulled it out. Hesitantly her fingers moved to the clasp at her neck, she exhaled slowly and unfastened her outer garments. The heavy robes pooled onto the floor as soon as they were released. The animagus repeated the action with her lighter inner robes and finally she stood clad only in her undergarments.

Her eyes apprehensively met Hermione's understanding ones. The younger witch chuckled, "I'll cover my eyes." And she did, theatrically placing both hands across her face. Knowing that Minerva would be shy with her until they finally made love, she gave her privacy. Moments passed before she heard silk rustle and a husky voice cast the charm that would place their discarded clothing in the washing basket.

Hermione smiled as the mattress dipped under Minerva's weight, she could sense the witch moving closer and removed her hands from her face just in time to meet a sweet kiss with one of her own.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. - Is she or isn't she? All vote now<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors Note: Here's your update... keep your comments on potential pregnancies coming.  
>Incidentally it's 7 weeks today until my gal will be flying over!<strong>

* * *

><p>The following Monday<p>

Minerva shook her daughter awake gently. It was barely light outside and she had to leave for work in an hour. "Mornin' Mum." Sleepy emerald eyes looked up at her mother and the girl smiled.

"Good Morning. Breakfast is ready."

"Ok." Rubbing her face Cerys got out of bed and followed her mother downstairs.

They had made an agreement a few weeks ago that they would get up early on the morning of Minerva's first day back at Hogwarts each week. That way they could have breakfast together and would allow The Headmistress to spend some time alone with Cerys.

They walked into the kitchen together to find a freshly showered Hermione dishing up their food. The youngster hugged her mummy and sat down to eat. As ever in the mornings Minerva ate lightly but they stayed at the table together for some time. The two women had chatted together despite the fact that it had only been minutes since they had woken up in the same bed. They included Cerys in the conversation and listened to her excited chatter about school with indulgent smiles.

When Cerys had finished eating, Hermione started doing the dishes while Minerva summoned the girls reading book. "Ready?" Exuberantly her daughter lept into her lap and opened the book, turning the pages until she got to where they had left off.

"Babbity Rabbity hopped through the for-rest, look-ing for car-rots. He saw a shad-ow..."

"Shadow."

"He saw a shadow bee-hind a tree, 'What's that?' said Babbity Rabbity. He hopped clo-ser..."

Hermione discretely watched them, smiling warmly at the pair. It was truly heart-warming. The sun was just rising and the two most important people in her world were cuddled up together. Minerva had made every effort to compensate for her frequent absences and Cerys was loving it. In fact so was she.

Fifteen minutes later she sent Cerys upstairs to brush her teeth and start the shower. "Tabby..?"

"Yes dear?"

The younger woman walked closer, "When do I get to sit on your lap?"

Minerva smirked, "Right now." Even as she spoke she was reaching out to grab Hermione by the waist and lifted her up, depositing her wife on her lap.

The brunette squeaked in surprise, just before Minerva's lips came down on hers hard. The kiss was absolutely breathtaking and left them both needing more. It was a kiss filled with hidden meanings and lusty promise. They came up for air only when it was essential. Emerald green burned into chocolate. "Do you think that your parents would take Cerys overnight on Wednesday?"

It was the younger womans turn to smirk. "I'm sure that they would... Why what did you have in mind?" Mock innocently she asked the question, batting her eyelashes.

"Come now Hermione, an intelligent witch such as yourself should be able to connect the dots." Her voice was dry as she teased.

"Indulge me."

"Oh I fully intend to... I was thinking about a nice romantic meal, maybe a bottle of wine..." She took a deep breath, "And then I want to make love to my wife."

Another smirk from Hermione, "You do, do you?" She was only half joking, there was a more serious question beneath the surface.

"Definitely." Minerva kissed the young woman once again. "I have to get going my love." She let Hermione off of her lap and hugged her wife. "See you in a few days."

"I can't wait." She licked her lips suggestively.

"Saucy witch."

* * *

><p>That evening<p>

Minerva had finally finished reading the policy changes over the last twelve years, the handover book for the last two and every student file. She had finally caught up, at least on school business. The Headmistress took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She had a headache and missed her little family incredibly. This was only the third night that she had spent at the school and it was hard to get used to. The animagus did allow herself a small smile as she thought of the owl that was winging its way to them even now.

* * *

><p>Hermione was putting Cerys to bed when a very familiar owl rapped at the window. She leaned over and opened it. The bird hopped in and allowed the witch to untie two rolls of parchment from his leg.<p>

"Thank you."

"Twoo." With a flutter of feathers he winged it back towards Hogwarts.

She glanced down and saw her name written on one with the instruction to read it alone in bed later, Hermione shook her head smirking and handed the other to Cerys.

"Yay it's from Mum. Tuck me in and we'll read it."

"What's the magic word?"

"Please."

"Good girl." She tucked in her daughter and watched Cerys tear open the seal. They both smiled when Minerva's voice spoke to them softly from the parchment.

"_Hello sweetheart, I miss you both so much. Now where were we...?" _The disembodied voice began to read from the storybook that the two of them had been reading at bedtimes. Hermione felt tears sting her eyelids and she turned to look out of the window, hiding them from her daughter.

* * *

><p>A little later Hermione retired to bed with a good book and the parchment from Minerva.<p>

"_Hello my love. I miss you. I do not know how I am going to sleep tonight without you next to me. I have gotten accustomed to the warmth of your body, the feel of your curves pressed against mine. Hermione I love you more than I can ever say. Thank you for your patience and for everything."_

* * *

><p>Wednesday morning<p>

Minerva stepped out of the floo and into the kitchen. She was instantly engulfed in a huge hug from both her wife and daughter. "Well hello." She hugged them back and kissed Cerys on the cheek before giving Hermione a very different kind of kiss.

The girl began to laugh happily at her parents.

The two women parted breathlessly. Minerva lightly ran her hand across the flush on her wife's cheek, "I missed you."

"I could tell." Hermione grinned, "Missed you too."

"And me!"

Minerva let go of the younger woman and picked up her daughter twirling her around, before placing her back on her feet.

"Mum?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"When can I go to Hogwarts?"

"Hmmm, well let me see, you are how old... twenty one, twenty two...?"

That musical giggle sounded again, "No silly Mum, you 'member... I'm five!"

"Five! Well even though you are a big girl now, you have to wait a few more years."

Cerys placed her hands on her hips, tossed her hair back, tapped her feet and spoke impatiently. "How many years... zactly?"

Minerva and Hermione both resisted the urge to laugh, each was privately thinking how much she looked like their mate. "Six years Cerys."

"Tha's ages!" The girl mock sniffled. "I'm sad..."

Two sets of eyes met wryly. "And what would make you feel less sad?"

"Um... Well I readed the book Mum got me and a puppy would cheer me up."

This time the two women did burst into laughter. Hermione spluttered out, "You are absolutely incorrigible."

"Nanny says that I'm ten-a-chus."

Minerva bit her lip, "Tenacious you certainly are. Where do you get that from?"

"I can guess." Hermione's voice was extremely dry and she stared at her wife.

Again the two women laughed, Minerva theatrically rolled her eyes. "Cerys as you are staying at your grandparents house tonight, would you like it if we went out for breakfast this morning before school? We can go anywhere that you would like."

"Yay, McDonalds."

The Headmistress blinked, looking down at her robes. "In that case I think that a change of clothing is in order."

* * *

><p>Hermione was sat in the waiting room at Frimley Park Hospital idly flipping through a year old issue of Good Housekeeping. She could hear the whirring of the CAT scanner through the thin walls and all she could do was wait. The young witch had quite a lot to think about; a huge amount of questions and what ifs were going through her head. Strangely her internal monologue had started to sound just like her mother.<p>

'_What if Minerva doesn't get her memory back?'_

'_But what if she does?'_

Minerva without her memories had made an awful lot of improvements to their family life.

'_Do I prefer Minerva like this?'_

That was a hard question to answer, while she did prefer certain aspects of her wife's behaviour now but she missed being able to talk about a decades worth of shared experiences. _'How can you laugh about something if the person you are talking to doesn't remember it?' _

And there was one final nagging worry that had only recently cropped up. '_What if I am pregnant?'_ They had wanted another child, true but this was not how either of them had envisioned it. _'Could they cope with a baby right now?'_ Hermione dropped the magazine in her lap and rubbed her eyes. _'How would a pregnancy affect our growing closeness?'_

It was almost enough to make her scream. _'It would either bring us closer together or tear us apart."_

Minerva eventually joined her, dropping a light kiss on Hermione's cheek. "Miss me?"

"Course."

The older woman placed a gentle hand on a shapely thigh, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking."

"About anything in particular?"

"You, us, our family." Hermione smiled faintly, "Woolgathering I guess."

Minerva squeezed the young womans leg reassuringly, "Whatever happens we will get through it as a family. I know that I was very cruel to you when I first woke up..."

"You were confused and had a head injury. It did upset me but I understood and the last few weeks have been nice, hard in places..."

"And right now you are worried that I..."

"**Minerva McGonagall come through."**

"Come with me please Hermione."

They walked into the office, closing the door behind them. The muggle doctor who had introduced himself earlier was sitting in front of a large computer screen. "Well Mrs McGonagall, we have your preliminary test results. There are signs of a serious brain injury that has healed but there appears to be no permanent damage." He showed them a series of pictures and gave them a very complicated explanation of what they were seeing. "There is no structural cause for your continued memory loss, I believe that you will regain full functionality in time. If in six months there is not a dramatic improvement we can do some further tests."

They stepped back out of the office, heading for a private place where they could apparate to St Mungos and their next appointment.

* * *

><p>Hermione was sat in another waiting room, this time she was leafing through a two year old copy of Magical Homes &amp; Gardens. Suddenly the fact that some muggle and wizarding things were exactly the same seemed funny and she started to laugh, drawing odd looks from the receptionist. Abashed she turned back to an article about making cleaning supplies from common garden plants, despite herself she became interested and started to actually read it.<p>

Several minutes later Minerva stepped back into the waiting room with a small paper bag in her hand. "Hermione?"

"Hey, sorry I got reading."

"Quite alright, I am glad that you had something to occupy your time."

"What's in the bag?"

Minerva glanced up at the clock, "We have time for a cup of tea before your appointment, would you like to..?"

"Another date?"

"The real date is later my dear."

Hermione felt herself go weak at the knees at the intensity in the older womans eyes. A reaction that did not go unnoticed. Minerva put a hand on the small of her back, leading her towards the stairs.

"I have some new pain potions for my headaches and they gave me a special pensieve."

* * *

><p>When Hermione came out of the Healers room, she spotted Minerva sitting down reading a tattered magazine. It was Wizarding Geographic. She started to laugh again. "Did everything go alright?"<p>

"Yes Tabby, it'll be a few minutes before they give me the results." The younger witch squirmed in uncomfortable memory, "It is a very strange way to test a pregnancy; rinsing your mouth with a potion and spitting it on a lizard."

Minerva put the magazine down and raised an eyebrow. "Is it any stranger than urinating on a stick?"

The muggleborn frowned, "I suppose not, when you phrase it like that."

"Do you think that you are?" Minerva's voice was quiet.

"Like I said the other day, I'm not feeling sick or anything. There's no point speculating now, we'll find out soon enough."

The older woman nodded and was silent for a minute, "Do you want it to be positive?"

Hermione sighed, "I don't know Tabby. I do want another child but now is probably not the best time. The last thing that we need is anymore strain on our relationship." There was another long pause, "You?"

"Well I have been thinking about that an awful lot."

"And?"

"And I would like to watch our baby growing inside you. To feel him kicking against my hand."

"Him?"

Emerald eyes sparkled as Minerva smiled broadly, "Unless you would rather have another girl?"

"I hadn't really thought..."

"I would love a large happy family, a bigger house somewhere - we could even have five or six."

"Five or six? What the hell do you think I am? Molly fucking Weasley?"

"I think that you are a wonderful mother."

"You aren't doing too badly yourself. Fine we can have five or six children – if you retire."

Lips pursed as Minerva considered Hermione's words, before the young woman could react she grabbed her hand and shook it firmly. "Deal!"

The brunette coughed, shocked beyond belief at Minerva's action. It took her a few moments to collect herself. "How about we just take the kids one at a time and see what happens?"

"I just have one question, where was the cat? I could not see it in the scanning room." They both snorted and collapsed against each other in laughter.

The receptionist glared at the two women who were disrupting her waiting room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note: Sorry for the delay but things have been a little manic here. On a light note, now only ten days until the woman I love lands in England.**

* * *

><p>Emerald green eyes bored into chocolate ones, ignoring the landscape that materialised around them. They had apparated in front of the wards outside their home a few minutes earlier but Minerva had engaged her wife in intense eye contact and pretty much refused to move.<p>

Hermione gave a huff, "Tabby let's go in and have a cup of tea. The test result doesn't change anything."

"Why did you marry me?"

The young woman blinked, "Because I was in love with you." She grasped Minerva by the hand and pulled her towards the front door. "Nothing will ever change that."

The Headmistress found herself dragged into the kitchen. "Give me that new pensieve of yours," Hermione put the kettle on to boil and returned to the table, uncharacteristically waving her wand - charming the cups to make themselves.

"Do you know what it is Hermione? They never explained it to me."

"Minerva... Believe me when I say that I did a lot of research when you first lost your memory. I thought that sooner or later they would give you one."

The older witch took the shrunken pensieve from the bag and placed it on the table before returning it to its normal size. It had two depressions in it, connected by a narrow channel. It looked ancient, words carved in Latin into the side read; partis quod usus absentis memoria , repeto affectus quod voluntas. "Do you know how it works? How can we share and experience lost memories?"

Hermione smiled at her wife, "There should be two potions in the bag." She was interrupted by two cups of tea whizzing across the room and landing on the table. "The green one will allow you to see the memory through the eyes of the person who has their hand in the other side of the pensieve. The purple potion would allow you to experience the memory completely, including the emotions and thoughts of the other person. Otherwise it can be used as a regular pensieve, in the 'third person'."

Minerva looked in the bag, finding the two bottles that Hermione had mentioned. "Why would you want to see but not feel?"

The young woman took a sip of her tea, burning her lip a little. "Well imagine the memory of me giving birth to Cerys. Feeling would be extremely painful. Alternatively you could view the midwife's memories but she might not want you to feel what she felt."

"I see."

"You will." Hermione unstopped the purple bottle and poured the liquid into the bowl watching as it filled both chambers. She took another sip of tea and frowned as she focussed on a series of memories. "Ready?" Without waiting for an answer she plunged her hand into the warm fluid, which immediately turned into a metallic colour.

Minerva suspiciously eyed the fluid in her half of the pensieve that was still bright purple. Gingerly she placed her fingers into it, watching as the metallic colour flooded through the channel and touched her skin.

_She was looking at herself but through Hermione's eyes. Their voices bantered back and forth, speaking about nothing in particular. Minerva could see the emotions radiating from her emerald gaze, directed at Hermione but masked by caution and fear. The oddest thing was that she could feel what the younger woman felt._

_There was a warmth and tenderness directed towards her, mixed with soulful yearning and... love. Their clasped hands were slightly damp due to the overriding nervousness that was evident in emerald eyes and that she could feel in her wife's body._

_Conversation ceased, leaving the two women staring at each other – it wasn't awkward – it felt more like waiting. Minerva knew that they were going to kiss, could 'hear' Hermione's tangled thoughts as she wished that she would kiss her, alternating with fear of what would happen if she did. Suddenly, inexplicably their lips were touching._

_Their kiss was almost tentative but was also incredibly intense at the same time. Every repressed emotion came to the surface, expressed in the physical contact. Minerva felt the moment when her hand slid into Hermione's hair, deepening the kiss. She could feel when the younger woman became desperate for air, long before they separated._

The scene swirled around her and Minerva found herself back in their kitchen. She smiled at her wife before concentrating on the memory that she had just seen through Hermione's eyes. Odd flashes of her own memory came back to her. "I can almost see my own memory."

"Almost?"

"Flashes."

Hermione grinned warmly, "Perhaps it is working."

"What is next?"

Metallic silver poured through the pensieve as the young woman concentrated on her second memory. Once again the room swirled around Minerva and she fell into her wife's recollection.

_They were in a darkened room, lit candles were standing on every surface – flickering light illuminated the chamber. Hermione was lying on the bed, Minerva could feel the soft rasp of sheets against the young womans naked skin. There was a small amount of nervousness in her mind but it was mainly filled with love and desire._

_Their joined gaze was drawn to where the Headmistress was sitting on the mattress. The candlelight flickered over her pale, slender body and made Hermione's mouth water. Minerva could feel the sheer amount of need that was coursing through the memory she was inhabiting. "You're beautiful..."_

_From a distance Minerva heard her own voice respond with a note of laughter in it, "No my dear, you are the beautiful one." The older woman leaned forward, pulling the younger witch into a passionate kiss. It felt like her head was spinning, partly from lack of oxygen and partly from her reaction as their naked skin touched._

_It was their first time and was everything that either of them had ever wished for. Hands caressed everything that they could reach and lips lovingly paid homage to aching flesh. Minerva could sense Hermione's building climax within the memory and could feel her own fingers begin to move faster inside the younger woman in response. "I love you!"_

The kitchen re-materialised around her slowly. Hermione's orgasmic scream echoing in Minerva's ears. The older witch was trembling as their eyes met, chocolate eyes were dilated and full lips parted invitingly.

"I... I relived that night in my mind so many times but I never imagined that sharing it could be so... Well, you know..." Hermione smiled at her wife a little sheepishly, trying to repress her desire.

Minerva coughed, before trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Arousing."

For a moment they both just tried to get their breathing under control. "I have a few more things to show you."

"Ok." The older woman exhaled slowly, summoning every ounce of self-control that she could muster. The urge to strip her wife naked and take her on the kitchen table was almost impossible to resist.

Hermione took her own deep breath and concentrated on the next memory that she wanted to share.

_Minerva could feel wind whipping chestnut curls around her face but heedlessly ignored them. Hermione's focus was confined to staring into her own emerald eyes. The young woman's mind was so filled with love, excitement and joy that she could not discern any deeper thought from her. It was so confusing to experience being inside another persons body, feeling what she felt, that it took Minerva moments to work out what was going on._

_They were standing on the astronomy tower at Hogwarts. Judging from the empty plates, they had just finished dinner. The Headmistress had knelt down in front of Hermione, an open ring box rested in one hand. Minerva could feel cool fingers pick up her left hand and clasp it tightly._

_"Hermione... You brought light into my life and hope into a heart that had forgotten how to. I cannot imagine living without you by my side. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, perhaps start a family together. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"_

_Minerva felt Hermione's lips move before she heard her speak. "Yes. Yes of course I will marry you."_

_Their lips crashed together in a passionate affirmation of their love and the promise that they had just made to each other. In spite of the heat, Minerva could feel the cool metal of her mothers ring slide onto Hermione's finger where it would forever remain._

Blinking brought their kitchen back into focus and unerringly Minerva's eyes sought and found the ring. She pulled her fingers out of the purple fluid and caressed Hermione's hand, lingering on the cool metal. "I do love you Hermione."

"And I love you."

The young woman pulled her hand away and siphoned the purple fluid back into the bottle. She replaced it with the other liquid.

"No, I want to feel everything that you felt." Minerva somehow knew what her wife was about to do.

"I will never knowingly put you in pain." Hermione's face was resolute, she waited for the older witch to place her hand in the pensieve. "I want you to see this, please Minerva."

Unable to deny her wife anything Minerva slipped her fingers into the cool liquid.

_The room morphed into a delivery chamber. The older witch knew that Hermione was screaming in pain and effort, she could hear it but she could not feel it._

_Another voice spoke up, "Not long now Hermione, I need you to bear down." Tired, slightly unfocussed eyes turned from the midwitch to her wife. Minerva noted that her own eyes were worried. She heard her wife cry out once again, long and loud – something deep and primal, torn from deep within._

_There was another sound and suddenly a baby began to scream loudly and lustily. Hermione threw her head back and let out her own wail, as the contractions continued. When she had finally delivered the afterbirth the young woman opened her eyes and focussed on an image that she would never forget._

_Minerva was stood next to the bed, holding their daughter. The small but noisy pink blanket wrapped bundle was cradled tightly in arms that were obviously inexperienced but caring. Emerald eyes were wide with love and awe as the older woman looked back and forth from her wife to the life that they had created together._

The kitchen appeared in front of Minerva as she focussed on Hermione sitting next to her. Both sets of eyes were brimming with tears as they stared at each other. "I love you Tabby Cat." She paused, "I remember looking at you that day and counting my blessings, my good fortune that you came into my life. Seeing my family in front of me... was the most incredible thing that I had ever laid eyes on. You are my wife Minerva, the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. We are good together my love."

"I know we are." The older womans voice was hoarse, she stood and walked over to her wife. "How I got the opportunity to fall in love with you twice I have no idea. Why a woman like you wants an old crone like me I will never know."

"You do know, you've just seen it in my memories. You have felt it."

Minerva took hold of Hermione's hand and pulled it from the pensieve. She kissed every finger and every knuckle, before turning it over to place a kiss on the palm. Her lips lingered on the soft skin of her wife's inner wrist, feeling a steady pulse thrum.

The older witch siphoned the liquid from the pensieve and replaced it with the original one. "There is something that I would like to show you too."

Hermione swapped seats with her wife and placed her hand into the purple liquid. "Show me."

Minerva concentrated on a handful of memories that had occurred since she had awoken in the hospital. Not the ones where she had thought that her former student was playing a cruel joke on her but the others. Meeting their daughter for the first time. Accepting their relationship and realising how wonderful Hermione was. Kissing the younger witch for the first time. Acknowledging the love that she felt and the true depth of her emotions.

When the montage ended they were both staring at each other once again. Both trembling at the depth of need and desire that was coursing through them. "Hermione... I need to make love to you."

The younger woman nodded. "Then take me to bed." She smirked as the breathless words escaped her lips.

"Not on the kitchen table?" Minerva arched her brow sarcastically as she joked with her wife.

"Perhaps later."

They grinned at each other as they made their way out of the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

* * *

><p>Hermione took Minerva by the hand as the older womans step faltered at the bedroom door. "Tabby?"<p>

"What if I cannot compare to that memory? What if I...?" Despite her words she let her wife pull her towards the bed and sat down next to her.

Gentle fingers caressed an elegant cheekbone, "You're going to do just fine Minerva. Kiss me."

"That I can do!" They both laughed, dispelling a great deal of the tension that had risen since they came into their bedchamber.

Minerva leaned in closer to Hermione, brushing gentle kisses over attractive features. Her lips caressed the younger womans brow, gliding over skin as she gradually made her way to her wife's jaw and eventually to her eager lips.

When they finally kissed it was explosive. It had been far too long since they had been together like this and all of their recent contact had been building up to this moment. Lips devoured. Tongues duelled. Hands began to roam.

The young woman tangled her fingers in the greying hair at the nape of Minerva's neck. A mumbled word, slurred into the kiss banished the hairpins. Heavy tresses fell into Hermione's hands and she used them to pull her wife closer still.

Minerva applied a little pressure against Hermione's body, encouraging her to fall backwards against the mattress. Never breaking the kiss she followed suit, pressing the younger woman into the soft bed with her body weight.

Hermione moaned into the kiss, a sound that increased in intensity when a powerful thigh slipped between her own – bringing a delightful pressure against her centre. "Oh Tabby." Minerva was shaking as she began to slide her hand down the side of her wife's body; grazing first her arm, then her ribcage and finally the side of her breast.

Meanwhile the young womans arms were tightly wrapped around her mate, clutching the slender body tightly against her own. Minerva wanted, needed more freedom to explore and so she rocked her hips forward, increasing the pressure of her thigh on Hermione's centre.

The brunette broke the kiss so that she could gasp loudly in appreciation. She parted her thighs a little more to give her wife greater access. Minerva took full advantage of it, continuing to gently thrust her thigh against Hermione's wanting sex. One slender forearm braced her weight against the mattress, freeing the other to continue exploring.

"Oh...Oh..." The young woman whimpered when a naughty tongue began to caress the very sensitive skin of her throat. At the same time nimble fingers began to tease a full breast, at first only grazing over the covered mound but Minerva rapidly grew more confident and so the delightful pressure increased.

At that moment Hermione needed her wife like never before. While she did want to savour this experience her need was overriding that urge. A whispered incantation slipped from her lips of its own volition and stripped them both naked. When the mouth stopped ravishing her neck she began to fear the worst – that she had jumped ahead too far for Minerva's liking and that the older woman was about to stop.

The older witch raised her head and wryly amused emerald eyes met trepidation-filled chocolate orbs. "Is there something that you need Mrs McGonagall?"

A relieved chuckle erupted from Hermione, "Well, there's about a hundred things that I need right now."

"I am afraid that you will have to summarise." Despite the formal words and tone, a cheeky hand slipped over the young womans ample chest and in a sudden unexpected move – pinched an erect nipple between finger and thumb.

"Good guess." The two words were almost choked out.

"Mmmm." Minerva grinned before returning her lips to the younger womans throat. She loved the way that Hermione tasted and how she writhed around beneath her with every kiss, lick and nip. But soon it wasn't enough and the animagus began to make her way downwards, exploring even more tender flesh.

Making love to Hermione was the oddest sensation. Apart from having witnessed one of her wife's memories and a few brief flashes of her own – she had no real idea what the younger witch liked. But somehow her hands and body seemed to instinctively know, moving from place to place, drawing sighs and moans with every inch that they caressed.

Even more of Minerva's weight was braced on one forearm now. Her tongue was lapping at the skin of Hermione's left breast, while nimble fingers on her other hand caressed the right. She was teasing, somehow knowing that an oblique stimulation would arouse her wife far more than direct contact – at least at this stage.

Hermione was soon whimpering. The sensations that her wife was engendering were maddening. The slow motion of the muscular thigh against her sex, the teasing touches on her breasts – so close to her wanting nipples but yet so far away. "Tabby... please."

The plea was immensely evocative and was exactly what Minerva wanted. All of the cries, whimpers and writhing around had not been enough – she had needed the younger woman to give voice to her desire. The Headmistress obliged, flicking her tongue rapidly over a needy nipple drawing a wordless cry from her wife, before she pulled the aching bud into her mouth.

"Aaahh... Yes."

Minerva withdrew her knee from between Hermione's and straddled the younger womans legs. The damp patch on her thigh became cold when exposed to the cool air. The animagus paused, withdrawing slightly from her wife, "You made a wet patch young lady."

Both women snickered, before the older witch swooped back in and turned her attention to the neglected nipple. She took her weight on her knees and reached up removing Hermione's hands from her own skin. Holding slender wrists in a firm but gentle grasp, Minerva pinned them against the soft pillows.

Hermione gasped as Minerva held her against the bed, she could see blackened emerald eyes gazing down at her and lips pressed against the swell of her breast. Suddenly her wife bit down on the tender bud, harder than ever before but in a way that was calculated to make her cry out in ecstasy – it was almost enough to tip her over the edge...but not quite.

For a few minutes Minerva switched back and forth, leaving nipples swollen and reddened with desire from her touch. Love bites covered both breasts and the older woman smirked down at them with an almost animalistic pride, before moving her mouth lower.

Hermione managed to free her hands and entangled them in silvering hair, gently encouraging Minerva's mouth to move lower. She felt the older witch chuckle against her stomach as she obliged, beginning to lick and nip at the soft flesh of her wife's tummy.

Any nervousness that Minerva still felt receded from her awareness at that point. Her nostrils flared at the sheer amount of desire that she could smell in the room, her wife was excited by her touch – not by the memory of 'another' but by **her **touch. She shifted her weight, moving her legs lower, so that she could come face to face with a tangle of dark curls and she placed a single soft kiss on Hermione's mound before withdrawing once again.

Minerva was kneeling between the younger womans ankles, staring up at the most gorgeous thing that she had ever seen. Hermione's eyes were black with desire and her chest was heaving with passion. Sweat beading on her abdomen glistened in the sunlight streaming through the window. A single finger traced the stretch marks above her wife's hips, testament to the fact that this young witch had carried and borne **her **child – at that moment Minerva could have sworn that she was purring, in fact she felt like crowing.

Her eyes drew lower, fastening onto damp curls. "Open your thighs for me love, let me see you."

Hermione obliged almost wantonly, making her wife moan at the sight before her. Between the younger womans legs, curls were more than damp – they were absolutely dripping with her desire. A slick trail of moisture coated her inner thighs and drew Minerva's gaze like a beacon.

Gentle hands slid up the outside of shapely legs and back down again, leaving a trail of goose bumps in the wake of her caress. Over and over again the older witch repeated the motion, loving the way that Hermione trembled under her touch. "Please Minerva... Touch me."

The animagus smirked and lowered her mouth to the tender skin on the inside of Hermione's right knee, her tongue slipped out to tickle the tender flesh momentarily before moving higher. She moaned as she tasted her wife's essence for what seemed like the first time.

It drove the younger witch crazy as Minerva took her time licking the moisture off of her inner thighs, she wanted so much more than that. This lovemaking was so very different than anything that she had ever experienced with her wife prior to the amnesia but she realised that for the older woman this was partly about exorcising all of her fears and insecurities.

When a sudden gust of air was gently blown across her heated core, Hermione threw her head back and whacked it against the headboard – hard. "Ouch!"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeeeah."

"Well okay then." Minerva's tongue replaced the cool air in a sudden move that made her wife yelp in delight. Firmly but gently and with aching slowness, the muscle slipped between the young womans folds – finding first her dripping entrance and then an eager nub of wanting flesh.

"God Tabby."

The older woman started a rhythm with her tongue, lapping at that slippery bud in a way that Hermione seemed to love. Both of her hands slipped onto shapely hips, enabling her to pull the young witch tighter against her – burying her face in her wife's sex. Again Minerva's previous experience and almost remembered familiarity with Hermione's body served her well. Within a few minutes she could hear the younger woman screaming for release – a release she was happy to grant.


	7. Chapter 7

One of the things that Minerva had forgotten about the last decade was the cooking lessons that Hermione had subjected her to early in their marriage. That was why she found herself on a rainy afternoon in the kitchen being taught to bake biscuits along with Cerys, discovering at the same time that her wife was something of a perfectionist.

It had been less than three days since they had returned from the hospital, since they had shared memories in the pensieve and since they had made love. They were both still adjusting to the changes that had been wrought in that single day. Minerva had returned to work, Cerys had come back from her grandparents and life had continued while waiting for today – the first time that their whole family had been back together.

The older woman took small balls of dough from her daughter and placed them on a baking tray, flattening them slightly. She could smell the heavy dose of fresh ginger in them and was fighting the urge to pop one of the small balls into her mouth. A glance at Hermione showed her that her desire was rather transparent and both women snickered.

"Why are you two laughing?" Cerys sounded a little petulant.

"Your mother wants to eat the biscuits before they are cooked."

"That's gross!"

Minerva tossed a scrap of dough at the tattletale, suddenly experiencing one of her odd flashbacks. She saw an image of a sunlit kitchen and a large floury handprint on Hermione's full backside. The green eyed witch smirked at the recollection, a saucy expression that only broadened when the younger woman leant in, accurately guessing the nature of the memory, "There was flour _everywhere_..."

The Headmistress flushed violently, a mixture of her memories from the other day and pensieve recollections rushed through her brain. Her body immediately responded and she shot a heady gaze at her wife. "Later..." Hermione breathed into her ear. Minerva groaned allowing her frustration to show.

"Mum, concentrate!" Cerys thrust a handful of slightly mangled balls at Minerva, who took them with an abashed look on her face.

Hermione turned her face to the window to hide her snicker. Cerys was so like her wife and everyone knew it but it was always funny to hear 'Professor McGonagall' erupt from their daughters lips. A few minutes passed and they popped the trays into the oven, before washing their hands. Minerva made a pot of tea for the grown ups and a mug of hot chocolate for their little monster.

Cerys sat at the table, knowing that her parents wanted to talk to her, there was something in their demeanour that had alerted her to that fact. "Hav' I done summink?"

"No darling it's not that at all." Hermione's hand caressed her daughters arm and shot her wife a glance. "Your mother and I have some news that we need to share with you, we were only told on Wednesday and you are the first person we have spoken to."

Minerva continued, this was the first time in memory that she had shared this type of information with anyone. "We are having a baby."

"What?"

"You are going to have a baby brother or sister."

Initial excitement had shone in the girls green eyes but it was soon replaced by fear and anger, with a good mix of jealousy added. "Why? Cos Mum can't 'member having me? You want a new one to...to...'place me?" Cerys slid out of her chair and started to run out of the room. Cat-like reflexes allowed Minerva to catch her in her arms halfway.

Hermione watched as their daughter frantically kicked out, hysterically sobbing as her wife tried to restrain her. Minerva lowered them both to the floor and tightly held Cerys on her lap making soothing noises. A minute or two passed, allowing the girl to calm down a little. "Sweetheart, we would never replace you." Lips gently brushed against a soft young cheek. "This baby was made before I lost my memory."

"Why?"

"Because your mummy and I love each other very much. And we love you our wonderful little girl more than anything else. But we would like another baby to love too."

Hermione came and knelt next to her family. "You are our first born child Cerys and you'll always be special." She took one of their daughters small hands and pressed it against the almost undetectable swell in her abdomen. "In here is a little boy or girl who is really going to need a big sister."

"Really?" Now there was a look of wonder in sparkling eyes. And the family hugged each other sitting on the kitchen floor, rejoicing in their news.

* * *

><p>Hermione lay back against the plush pillows, listening to the sound of their heavy breathing and thundering heartbeats. The sheets had long since been kicked off of the bed and their sweaty legs were still partially entwined. Cool evening air made their damp skin prickle with goose bumps. A slightly lower than normal Scottish brogue uttered a summoning charm and a light blanket floated up to cover their naked bodies. "I hate to cover up such perfection."<p>

"Perfection? When did ya last get your eyes tested?"

Minerva gave a laugh, "I have no idea. You would have to ask my wife."

"Your wife huh? Why don't you tell me all about her?"

"Ah well..." The older witch turned on her side so that she could look down at Hermione's face and her hand slid onto the young womans stomach. "She is incredibly intelligent, a brilliant conversationalist, a great writer who is not above fishing for compliments..."

It was Hermione's turn to laugh and she turned her head so that she could graze her lips against a tender throat.

"She has a gorgeous figure and the sexiest nipples that you have ever seen. She has got lovely long hair and curves to die for. I also suspect that she is about to get curvier." Both women giggled. "Hermione did I get as confused and upset when we found out about Cerys?"

"It wasn't quite the same situation. We planned Cerys, right down to my... erm ovulation cycle and it took a few months. You and I would get together to do the test every month, it was never a surprise."

"What about this baby? How did we plan him?"

"We didn't really, we just let nature take its course – with the help of a useful spell that is."

Minerva smirked, "That dear, is a memory you are going to have to share with me."

"Oh, I fully intend to." The kiss that they shared was loving and lusty in equal parts. "Don't get your hopes up about it being a boy, it's too early to know and it might be a girl."

"I know... but I have a picture in my head of a little boy with your cheeky grin, beautiful chocolate eyes and hopefully my knack of staying out of trouble."

"Hey! I was led into all of that trouble."

They snuggled closer as Hermione rolled onto her side, allowing her wife to spoon her. "Do you think that Cerys will continue to be jealous?"

"Tabby, it's only natural at her age. We just have to help her get through it."

"And who is going to help us through it?"

"Minerva, we'll be fine, you may not remember but last time you coped very well." A gentle hand squeezed her wife's in reassurance. "Everything is going to be alright."

* * *

><p>Sunday morning – somewhere in Surrey<p>

"Were we going?"

Minerva turned as far as her seatbelt would allow and looked into the backseat at her daughter. "It is a surprise."

"Why don't you drive?"

The emerald eyed woman glanced over at her wife who was sitting in the drivers seat, they grinned at each other before Hermione turned her attention back to the road and answered the question. "I tried to teach your Mum once, it was rather unsuccessful."

"Did you crash?"

"Noooo..." Minerva drew out the denial, not sure of the answer but feeling a little embarrassed upon hearing her love snicker.

"Does it count as crashing if you vanish the tree right before hitting it?" Hermione's voice was low and very amused.

"Well... If that is what happened...No... If there was no impact... that is."

Cerys gave a giggle at the evasion and snuggled back into her booster seat, closing her eyes. The day had started early when they had dropped in at her grandparents for breakfast and to borrow the car. The motion of the vehicle soon rocked her to sleep, leaving the two women effectively alone.

"Are you sure about this Minerva?"

"We have given this a great deal of thought, so yes why not? How much longer?"

"Another ten minutes maybe, the traffic is a bit heavier than I thought." Hermione changed gear and put her now free hand onto Minerva's leg. She caressed the surprisingly firm muscle before slipping devilish fingers between parted thighs.

The older woman gave a soft moan, loving the arousing sensation of a hand rubbing deliciously against the seam of her jeans. "Mione..." The single word was a plea.

"Sorry." The younger witch removed her hand and shot an abashed smile at her wife, "I've never been able to keep my hands off of you."

"Have I told you how glad that makes me?" They shared an intimate gaze for several long moments, smiling at each other.

Hermione turned off of the main road and headed into the hills. "How do you feel about returning to work full time from tomorrow?"

"The actuality of work does not bother me but I do not want to be kept away from the two of you, especially now."

"Tabby, it's really early into my pregnancy, I'll be fine."

"I cannot help but worry and besides I want to share this with you."

"I know but you'll be back in a few days."

"Thursday evening actually... What would you say if I quit my job?"

The way that Hermione's jaw snapped open would have been comical under other circumstances. Shocked chocolate eyes turned to Minerva for a moment before returning to the road, the younger woman took a deep breath and took her time before answering, "Ultimately darling it's your decision. Just take your time making it and be sure that it is for the right reason. I know how much you love your job and I would hate for you to do something that you would later regret."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Give it a few months and see how you feel then."

"Alright." Minerva nodded but she still looked troubled, only time would prove if her new family-orientated attitude would survive her punishing work schedule.

"I think this is it." Hermione flicked on her indicator, preparing to cross the traffic to enter the car park. She pulled onto the gravel and parked, much to the relief of her wife who was yet to be convinced by the muggle form of transportation.

Minerva turned and gently shook their daughter awake, "Wake up Cerys, we are here."

"Where's here?"

"Get out and see." This time it was Hermione who spoke, she slid from behind the wheel and stood up closing her door. Minerva figured out the handle mechanism on the second attempt and both women helped their sleep-befuddled daughter out of the vehicle.

Cerys shook off her sleepiness and looked up at the sign in awe. "High Mead...ows Kennel, German Shepherd rescue. Have we come to get a puppy?"

"We have come to look at a dog. Your mummy has been talking to the lady who runs this rescue about him and we have come to meet him."

"Cool." Cerys accidentally put too much volume into the statement, earning a mild frown from Minerva.

Hermione placed a hand on her daughters shoulder, "On your best behaviour from here please Care Bear."

"Yes Mummy."

They walked over to the door and stepped inside, a bell rang and they proceeded to wait as a handwritten sign instructed. The kennel had a small shop by the counter and Cerys tugged at Minerva's hand, "Mum, may I go look?"

"Of course but be careful."

The youngster began to peruse the supply of collars, leads, toys and various other items that were neatly arranged on the shelves. A few minutes passed before a harried looking woman walked in through a door next to the desk, "Sorry about the delay, I had a new dog just brought in. I'm Sue and you must be Hermione."

"That's no problem." Hermione stepped forwards, shaking hands with the slightly plump blonde woman. "This is my wife Minerva and our daughter Cerys."

"Pleasure to meet you all. Shall we go have a look at that handsome boy?"

"Yes please." Cerys had somehow made her way to the front of the group and kept her voice extremely polite, not wanting to risk censorship at this point.

"Well ok then. Now young lady when we go past the kennels, don't worry if the dogs bark a lot – they just get frustrated at being shut in and it makes them shout but make sure that you don't stick your fingers through the bars, alright?"

"I Promise."

Sue shot the parents a smile, it was always nice to meet polite well-mannered children. She led them through the first kennel block, which was full of youngsters all yapping away. Cerys looked around her wide-eyed, wanting to take them all home but knowing that she couldn't. She waited until they reached a gap between kennel blocks and the door closed behind them, blocking out most of the noise. "S'cuse me Miss Sue?"

"Yes dear?"

"What happens to all the doggies that no one wants? Do they get kill'ded?"

"No, not here. Every dog who comes here will stay until they find their forever home, no matter how long it takes."

"Oh goody."

Sue ushered them into a large exercise pen, it was floored with concrete and surrounded by tall wire fences. Toys were scattered around the space and the McGonagall family sat down on a bench, Minerva firmly pulled their daughter to her and stuffed the girl safely between their bodies. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

True to her word, a few minutes passed and the blonde returned with a large German Shepherd on a lead. She opened the door of the pen and the dog looked around curiously, glancing interestedly at the small family. "This is Kaiser." At the sound of his name he gave a big doggy grin, allowing his tongue to loll out of the side of his mouth. "His last family had children, as I said on the phone he is very used to kids. He has had some training and knows all of the basics. We've exposed him to other dogs, livestock and cats – he's a wonderful dog."

"How old is he?" Cerys wanted to stand up but she had been told not to.

"He is four now, so in his prime." The rescue worker brought the dog closer, allowing him to sniff at the people. The handsome animal politely greeted them, allowing Hermione to stroke his thick ruff before he sat and rested his huge head in Cerys's lap. The girl began to softly stroke him, talking quietly to the dog.

Minerva looked up from the cute sight, "Why did his family give him up?"

"They went to live in New Zealand and couldn't be bothered with the paperwork necessary to take Kaiser with them." The woman gave a sad shrug, she had heard similar stories time without number. "I can let him off the lead if you would like to play with him." At their nods Sue unclasped the lead.

The dog ran a few paces away, picked up a toy and turned back to Cerys, giving a play bow in an attempt to get the girl to play. "Can I?"

"Sure."

* * *

><p>It was only about an hour later when Hermione watched her wife clip a shiny new collar onto their dog. Sue scanned their purchases into the till, making sure that they had everything that they needed – Cerys had already ensured that they had several items that they didn't need. Minerva had vetoed the squeaky toys but had insisted on buying a huge dog basket.<p>

"Are you sure that will all fit in your car?" The rescue worker had a good point, looking at the huge pile of stuff.

Hermione almost smirked, "I'm pretty good at Tetris, it'll fit." She silently cursed the fact that it would take her several trips to carry it all the muggle way but knew that she could shrink them once she was out of sight. The young woman caught her wife's confused look when Tetris was mentioned and resolved to explain it later.

When she had finally closed the boot on the purchases, she conjured a blanket to cover the backseat and headed back inside. Minerva was signing the paperwork and handing over a surprisingly thick wad of money. Everything sorted, they stuffed child and dog into the backseat – making sure that seatbelts were securely fastened before waving to Sue and heading back towards Hermione's childhood home.

"Mummy can we take him to meet Nanny and Granddad and their dog?"

"No Cerys, it's his first day with us. We will just apparate home and get him settled in."

"Can he sleep in my room?"

"No!"

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I would like to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine, today I got the sad news that Sue died after a long illness - so I decided to imortalise her in true fanfiction fashion.<br>****Sue you were a wonderful, caring, dedicated woman who was always there for your friends, your legacy will live on in all of the dogs that you saved and in every life that you touched. I hope that you got the reunion with your four legged friends that you prayed for.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note: Enjoy the update and I'm sorry about the delay**

* * *

><p>Hermione swallowed the glass of soda water with a grimace, hoping that the muggle remedy would ease her morning sickness more than the wizarding potions did. This pregnancy had been incredibly easy until she had known about it. A whine caught her attention and she glanced down at Kaiser who was leaning against her leg and watching her intently. "I'm ok boy. Shall we go sit outside?"<p>

Wagging his tail the shepherd walked over to the door and waited for her to unbolt it. He bounded out onto the quay with Hermione following at a much more sedate pace. As always her eyes landed on the distant towers of Hogwarts, unerringly finding Minerva's window. It had only been a few weeks since her wife had returned to full-time employment but she found that she missed her more than she had imagined possible.

Kaiser followed his mistress's gaze, knowing that she was looking at something – he couldn't tell exactly what it was but there was no obvious reason that she was sad. He whined again and padded over to his cushion next to her chair. She smiled at him and followed. "Minerva will be home tonight for the weekend... I miss her." A soft wet tongue began to lather her hand as he tried to comfort her.

* * *

><p>Minerva left work early, she needed to make a few stops before she went home and the last thing that she wanted this week was to be late and worry her family. There were after all a few perks to being the Headmistress.<p>

Feeling more than a little out of place she stepped into a small exclusive muggle jewellery shop. Almost immediately she added bewildered to her list of emotions, the selections were too extensive and this was the type of thing that she had never experienced – or could remember. Luckily a saleswoman took pity on her, "May I help you?"

"I certainly hope so."

The young blonde laughed, "What were you after?"

"Well ideally a ring."

"For you?"

"Um... no..."

"Mother?"

"No... "

"Girlfriend?" At that point Minerva received a subtle wink.

"My wife."

"Aaah. So she already has a wedding ring?"

"Yes and an engagement ring."

"Ok... Is it a special occasion?"

"Well... to cut to the point, I lost my memory and forgot that we were married. I would like to renew our vows and give her another ring to symbolise that I love her."

"Oh... I have just the thing. Have you ever heard of an eternity ring?"

"No."

The assistant led her over to a case of rings with multiple diamonds. "They are normally given on special anniversaries and things like that – so your situation is probably ideal for one. The ring of continuous diamonds around the band symbolises eternal, everlasting love."

"It does sound ideal."

"Do you see anything that you like?"

"That one. F6."

"Ah, yes. Its 18 carat gold with clear diamonds, the top of the band is embossed with a Celtic knot design." As she spoke, the blonde opened the case with a key and placed the tray in front of Minerva, carefully handing her the ring.

"This is perfect."

"Do you know what size she is?"

One of those inexplicable flashes of memory came to Minerva and she knew the answer. "P."

The assistant glanced at her notes, "It must be fate because that is a P. Saves having it resized or another one made." She put the rest of the rings away and led Minerva to the till. "How would you like to pay?"

"Card?"

"Great." The young woman boxed up Minerva's purchase and gift wrapped it before placing it in an exclusive looking glossy bag. "She's a lucky woman." The four words were uttered quietly and she shot another wink at the witch.

"I am the lucky one." Minerva took the bag and left, shaking her head incredulously as she headed towards her next destination.

* * *

><p>Hermione was helping Cerys with her homework when Minerva came home. She heard the older woman apparate into the garden and grinned, being separated was extremely hard after so long together. The dog reached the front door first, closely followed by their daughter – Hermione herself wasn't far behind.<p>

Minerva hugged Cerys tightly, releasing her after a moment and patted the dog before walking to meet her wife in the hallway. "Missed you too by the way." They hugged tightly. "Fancy going out for dinner?"

"Sure."

"Can I come?"

"Yes of course Cerys."

"Can Kaiser come?"

"Actually yes... Just this once."

"Really?"

"Yes, get his lead and things." The girl ran off, leaving both of her mothers still entwined. Minerva lowered her head and soundly kissed Hermione. "Love you."

"Love you too but you are spoiling her."

"Perhaps a little."

"A lot." They chuckled and kissed again. "I'm guessing... casual dress?"

"You look beautiful just the way that you are."

"Smooth talker." Hermione was wearing a green shirt over dark jeans, while not revealing in any way the outfit clung to her body in all of the right places.

"Mmmm hmmm."

"You look tired."

"I did not sleep too well last night but I am incredibly glad to be home."

"I'm glad that you're home." Hermione pressed their bodies closer, gently thrusting her hips against Minerva's in a wanton promise.

It made the older witch groan, "Later... Minx, later."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." There was an odd light in emerald eyes that made the younger woman extremely curious.

* * *

><p>That evening<p>

Hermione looked around in surprise. They had apparated onto a white sandy beach. Wherever they were it was warmer than Britain, although it was dark the moon was full and bright. Torches were lit and along with bonfires, they provided enough illumination to show her that there were loads of people present.

"Mum, Dad?" The first people that she greeted were her parents. "What on Earth?" She turned back to her wife.

Minerva winked at her in-laws and merely said, "Just say Hi to everyone."

"Lil's! Rosie!" Cerys ran off to show Kaiser to Lilly Potter and Rose Weasley who she had recognised from across the beach.

Hermione greeted her best friends – although it had only been a few weeks since she had last seen them, they were always overjoyed to be together. "Do you know what Minerva has planned?"

Ron grinned at her, "Dunno mate but I do know she'd kill me for guessing."

"Don't ask me. I'm too scared of your missus."

Ginny just shrugged before hugging the brunette. "Sorry dude, my lips are sealed."

A few minutes passed, broken by chatter, occasional laughter and the sounds of a Frisbee catching German Shepherd crashing into things. Hermione could see Minerva walking around talking to people but she was pretty clueless about what this party was in aid of.

An unmistakable sound broke apart all of the chatting clusters of people, it was the noise of a fork clattering against a glass. Harry Potter was standing at a table, "If everyone could take their seats please."

Hermione shot him a glare, obviously he had also been in on whatever her wife was up to. She rounded the large horseshoe shaped table and murmured into his ear, "I am going to kill you!"

"I doubt it."

She walked over to Minerva who had one hand outstretched towards her. Hermione took it and allowed herself to be led to her seat. "Tabby..?"

"Trust me." That was all that needed to be said; Minerva knew that her wife would do as she asked because despite everything she did trust her.

Harry waited until everyone was sat down until he spoke again, "Well Minerva invited us all but it seems that she neglected to tell the most important person what she is doing here." He indicated the Headmistress before sitting down.

Minerva squeezed Hermione's hand before taking a deep breath and standing up. "First I would like to thank everyone for coming on short notice. Especially Hermione and Cerys, who had absolutely no notice."

"And Kaiser!" Her daughter chirped up, making everyone laugh.

"Well actually I told Kaiser a week ago." Another outburst of laughter. "As you all know the last few months have been very difficult for our family. My memory is still eluding me for the most part but Hermione and Cerys have both been very patient, more caring than I could have ever expected."

Minerva turned to face her wife, smiling lovingly. "I have the family that I have always wished for but I cannot help but regret that I do not remember certain aspects of our relationship. I want to let you know Hermione, how very much I love you and I wondered if you would like to renew our vows tonight in front of our friends and family."

The younger woman smiled through the tears that were running down her face and she somehow managed to speak through the lump that had appeared in her throat. "Yes."

Minerva grinned in happy relief, pulling a ring box from her pocket and she flipped it open revealing the ring that she had bought that afternoon, the diamonds sparkled like fire in the light. Even more tears began to cascade down lovely cheeks as Hermione saw what her wife had chosen.

"This is an eternity ring. I promise to love you forever, not even losing my memory could keep us apart. You are my soul mate, my chi, my love. I will cherish you eternally."

"I love you too."

Both women were crying when the ring was slipped onto Hermione's ring finger, above her engagement ring and her wedding band. Everyone began to cheer but they had eyes only for each other. Sharp eyed members of their audience noticed that Minerva had her other hand pressed tightly, almost protectively against Hermione's lower abdomen.

* * *

><p>TBC<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note: Bet you thought I forgot about this story - not so... It's a short update but getting back into the swing of this.**

* * *

><p>Jean gently took Hermione aside when the party began to quieten down later. "You haven't mentioned that you are having another baby?"<p>

The young witch looked up at her mother with an expression of shock, "We haven't told anyone yet, except Cerys. How did you guess?"

"When Minerva held you after the blessing, her hand was on your stomach. I've seen her like that before when you were pregnant."

Hermione sat down on the nearest chair. "Minerva and I were trying for a few months before she was attacked. And then with everything that happened, it never occurred to me that I could be pregnant. We found out the day that she had her last brain scan."

"And there's no news about her getting her memory back?"

Chocolate eyes sought out her family, Cerys was curled up on a blanket with her ever-present canine shadow right beside her and Minerva was chatting to a couple of Arthur's colleagues. A moment later her wife looked up and smiled, before excusing herself and heading in their direction. "No Mum, we're still being told to wait and see."

"Hey." Minerva leant in and brushed her lips against Hermione's cheek. "Hello Jean."

"I hear that I'm about to be a grandmother... again."

"I apologise for not saying anything sooner but we have had to adjust to the idea ourselves."

"I understand Minerva but there is one thing bothering me."

"Hmm?"

"It's not one that you can answer without your memory. Hermione?"

"What do you want to ask Mum?"

"I want to ask... Why the two of you were trying for another baby when you were having problems?"

Hermione blinked but said nothing for several seconds. It was Minerva who broke the silence. "Actually I had wondered that myself. I have seen how I neglected my family and..."

"You didn't Tabby. We were both happy enough with the status quo. You were there when I needed you, when we needed you. Yes, you were not the most involved mother but Cerys never lacked for anything."

"I beg to differ but you can remember events that happened while I cannot."

"For the most part we were very happy. Things were not perfect but then what marriage is?"

Minerva knelt beside her wife and stroked the younger woman's leg, "So we decided that another child would bring us closer together?" She wasn't sure if it was a guess, intuition or a fragment of a memory.

Hermione gave a weak smile, "Perhaps a part of it. I don't remember that particular element of it being discussed. We both wanted more children, it was something that we talked about even before we got married."

Jean nodded, able now to understand what had happened. Her daughter and her wife had been brought together in the most surprising way possible. It seemed like they had made peace with their new complication.

* * *

><p>Several days later<p>

Kaiser opened one eye as the door to Cerys' room swung inwards. Like all dogs he only ever dozed when on guard duty. His ears swivelled when he saw Minerva walk into the room, he managed to put his most apologetic look on doggy features. "You know that you aren't allowed on the bed."

_**Whine.**_

"I mean it."

_**Pathetic whine.**_

"Kaiser..."

**_Barely audible whimper, along with sad puppy eyes and ears folded back._** Kaiser projected the epitome of dejected canine. Minerva brushed the hair from her daughters' forehead, noting that the girl was still running a slight temperature. Cerys had had a few days off school, having picked up some minor childhood bug. "Alright, you can stay but only for tonight."

Sensing the intent but not understanding the words the shepherd lowered his head back onto his paws and returned to his vigil. Minerva shook her head wryly, scratched him behind the ear and left the room. It was still early but she had noticed that there were no lights on downstairs or in the study and so she headed down the hallway towards their bedroom.

Hermione was curled up with one hand on her stomach. She was awake and holding a book in her other hand. The smile faded from Minerva's face as a flash of memory overwhelmed her again.

_A younger Hermione was writhing in pain on a bed, sweat covered her forehead and she was crying out, screaming. There was blood, soaking the sheets and her nightdress._

Minerva must have paled because Hermione sat up, "Tabby is everything ok?"

The older woman couldn't say anything, choked up with emotion and fear. Her wife got out of bed and wrapped her in an embrace. "What's wrong?" Hermione led her to their bed and began to rub Minerva's back.

"I... I saw... You bleeding in a bed. Not here. Somewhere with blue walls."

The younger witch exhaled, "That was our old house."

"What... what happened?"

"I... There were complications shortly before Cerys was born. I began to bleed badly and you rushed me to St. Mungo's. They stabilized me and she was born a few days later."

Minerva saw pain in Hermione's eyes and she began to recall feelings. "I was... terrified... Jeanette told me that one or both of you might die."

The younger witch pulled a small pain potion from the bedside drawer and handed it to her wife. Whenever Minerva remembered anything more than a flash it would give her horrible headaches. "We were both fine. These things happen sometimes."

"Could it happen again?"

"We spoke to the doctor when we decided to have another baby. She assured us that there was no reason to suspect that it might occur again, it was a freak chance that it happened the first time."

Minerva pulled Hermione into another embrace, "I could not bear loosing you."

"I know how you feel. I remember you lying in that bed in St. Mungo's, no one knowing if you would wake up or what state you would be in."

"And then I was cruel to you."

"Yes but you were confused. I don't blame you for that."

Minerva stretched out on the bed, "I'm sorry for being late tonight."

"It's ok, I know that sometimes meetings run long. Besides Cerys was asleep long before you were due in any case."

"It was important or I wouldn't have been." The older woman placed her hand on the swelling in Hermione's abdomen. "There have been more attacks recently, the Ministry are concerned that there is one person driving them."

"The same people that attacked you?"

"Presumably."

Hermione leant her head against Minerva's shoulder and listened to the older woman recount the full details of her meeting. Voldemort's second rise had been terrifying to live through but that emotion was nothing compared to how she felt now that she had a family of her own to protect. She would have no compunction about killing to ensure the safety of her wife, daughter or unborn child.

* * *

><p>"Explain why we are in a <em>muggle <em>hospital again?" The Headmistress of Hogwarts whispered into her wife's ear. She had forgotten a lot of what she had learnt about muggles and their quasi-magical devices and that included their uses during pregnancy.

"Nope, you'll just have to trust me."

Minerva gave a snort and went back to reading a well-thumbed copy of Superbike Magazine.

"Let me guess you are reading it for the articles?"

"No... The scantily clad women are more appealing, plus I am intrigued by these... motorbikes. They look much more enjoyable than a car."

"No motorcycles and no scantily clad women!" Hermione was hormonal and not to be toyed with.

Minerva leant in and whispered again, "You are the only woman that I am interested in, you know that."

"Better be." Hermione was slightly mollified when her wife began to stroke her leg under the magazine. They exchanged a smile and continued to wait.

"Hermione McGonagall?" They both stood up and followed a young woman into a room that only contained a bed, desk, chair and a small piece of equipment on wheels. Minerva did not ask questions when in a muggle environment, not wanting to look stupid and so she looked around curiously, completely in the dark about where they were.

"I'm Karen, I'll be looking after you today."

"I'm Hermione and this is my wife Minerva."

The technician gave the obligatory double-take before regaining her composure. She checked some details with the young woman before asking a question that bamboozled Minerva. "Bladder full?"

"Uncomfortably so."

"We'll try to get this done as quickly as possible then. I'm guessing that you remember the drill from your last pregnancy?"

"I do... Minerva has amnesia following a head injury, she doesn't even know why we are here."

"You haven't told her?"

"A surprise."

Karen looked over at the older woman, smiling warmly. "Then you're in for a pleasant surprise."

Hermione got onto the bed, lying on the ubiquitous blue paper that you find in places like hospitals. She pulled up her shirt and shocking Minerva once again, unfastened her jeans folding the flaps inside to give the technician access to her whole abdomen. Karen walked over to the sink to pop on some gloves.

"What is this called?" The Headmistress said in a barely audible tone.

"An ultrasound."

"And what does it do?"

"Like the CAT scan that you had. It allows us to see inside my body."

"Why?"

"To look at the baby."

"How is that possible?"

"I'll explain it to you later."

The technician came back, tucking more blue paper into Hermione's jeans to protect the fabric. "Ready?"

"Yep."

She picked up a bottle of thick, clear liquid and squeezed a generous dollop onto Hermione's stomach.

"Wow, it isn't cold."

"We heat it now. The boss got sick of hearing pregnant women scream." The three women laughed before the technician placed a plastic wand on top of the lubricant and began to move it around. After a moment she called their attention to the screen. "There it is, there's your baby." She turned up the volume on the scanner and let them listen to the heartbeat.

Hermione stared at the screen, tilting her head to one side in the hope that something would make sense. She turned around when she heard a gasp from Minerva. "That's our baby?"

"Yes that's the baby."

"We did that?"

Hermione grabbed Minerva's hand and watched tears fall over awestruck features. They broke off eye-contact and turned back to the screen to look at the miracle that they had created. The older woman brushed a kiss against her wife's temple, watching the technician make some observations and move the camera around.

"Would you like to know the sex?" Karen only spoke once they had a few minutes just to take it in.

"You can tell that?" Minerva was shocked beyond measure, obviously muggles had knowledge that the wizarding world could only dream of.

"Not always at this stage but your baby is not at all camera shy. If you would like to know I can tell you. Take a minute to think about it and I can let you know whenever you're ready. Everything looks absolutely fine with the baby." She turned off the scanner and handed the young woman a few paper towels before leaving the room. "Back in a mo."

Hermione scourigified herself before banishing the untouched paper to the bin. "Tabby?" Minerva was staring at the blank screen as though trying to bring the image of their child back to life. "It's ok, we're going to get some pictures to take home."

"Oh. Good." Hermione found herself in a warm embrace and passionately kissed by her wife. "That is the most amazing thing that I have ever seen."

"It's incredible, almost like magic."

Minerva gave a chuckle. "So would you like to know the sex?"

"Would you?"

"Hermione."

"Min_er_va... I am happy either way but you don't remember doing this before. You should decide."

The older woman frowned, thinking hard. "I... would like to know."

"Ok, we'll ask her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Tabby, I'm sure."

Karen walked back into the room, smiling as she saw them still cuddling. "Here are your pictures, there are five different ones here and here is your DVD. You will be able to watch it all over again at home. Your GP will get the full report in a week or so but as I said everything looks normal. Have you decided yet?"

"Yes, we would like to know the baby's gender."


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: Thanks for all of the reviews!**

* * *

><p>Hermione had hold of one of Minerva's arms, gently gripping Kaiser by the scruff with her other hand. Cerys was enfolded in the Headmistresses embrace tightly as they prepared to apparate. The sickening feeling was even worse for the younger witch now that she was pregnant.<p>

When they appeared on a mountain trail deep in the highlands Cerys whooped with joy. She loved to accompany her parents on long walks, it was something that they often did as a family – even more so since they had gotten the dog. Kaiser had proven himself reliable around sheep and cattle and as a result they could walk pretty much anywhere in Scotland.

Hermione released him and watched as their child ran off with the dog. "I wish I had that much energy."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"A little drained."

Minerva wrapped her arm around her wife and pressed a kiss against a soft cheek. "Do you need anything?"

"You." Chocolate eyes flashed with desire.

"Hormonal?"

"Oh yeah."

The older witch chuckled and began to walk, "Later gorgeous." She was completely enamoured by her passionate young wife and since they had only just started having sex again – she more than wanted to make love to Hermione at the slightest opportunity but a footpath in sight of their daughter was not the right time or place. "We can put Cerys to bed... share a nice relaxing bubble bath and maybe I will ravish you on the bathroom floor, how does that sound?"

"I might not be in the mood later."

"Somehow I doubt that but you will still have to wait."

Hermione took her arm out of Minerva's and pouted. The older witch smirked and sped up muttering under her breath, "Brazen hussy."

"What did you call me?"

"Brazen hussy."

"Old prude."

"Wait until later and I will show you exactly how much of a prude I am."

Cerys ran back towards them, her coat unfastened and flapping on either side of her body. "Mum, Mummy, Kaiser and I... we saw deers. By the trees."

Hermione chuckled, "Mmmm venison." The dog turned to look at her with a canine grin on his face, "Sometimes I swear that you understand every word that I say." With that he snorted and went back to sniffing at some rabbit holes.

"I want a sister." It was abruptly stated as the girl played with a winter flower.

Minerva looked at her wife and took a deep breath. "Well Care Bear how would you feel about a baby brother?"

"For sure?" Cerys frowned and walked over to Hermione, she lifted up her mothers coat and shirt – inspecting the rounded stomach closely. "How can you tell?"

The muggleborn witch laughed, while making a mental note to introduce both children to muggle devices. "We went to the doctors who used a special camera to take a picture inside my tummy."

"Oh. Well ok. Susan at school says that her sister borrows her clothes. I s'pose I wouldn't have that problem with a little brother." She ran off with the dog again.

"Ah, the single-mindedness of youth." Minerva chuckled again and pulled Hermione into a passionate kiss, it was something that she could not control. It was a tender kiss drawn from the depths of her soul, her tongue danced with its mate – until the urge to do more than kiss became dominant and they drew apart with a noticeable reluctance. "I love you Hermione. You've given me everything."

* * *

><p>Two weeks later<p>

"I don't care if it's a family name Minerva, we are not naming our son Alphonsis. Alphonsis McGonagall, that's bordering on cruelty."

The Headmistress gave a mock sniff. "Would you like to call him some dreadful muggle name like Cody or Rex?"

"Are we having a fight?" Hermione's voice was amused, "Besides Rex is a dogs name."

"Did we have this much trouble with Cerys?"

"Not as I recall. We named her for your grandmother and her middle name after my mother. Fairly easy."

Minerva gave a sigh and reached for a glass of the alcohol free wine that they were enjoying out on the dock. "I do have another suggestion."

"Shoot."

"Shoot what?" Sarcasm laced the two words and the older woman was smiling feigning ignorance of the muggle slang.

"Minerva."

"I have always been rather fond of your friend Mr Potter."

"Harry?"

"Well Harold on paper. What do you think?"

"It has a ring to it."

"Plenty of time to decide."

Hermione smiled when Minerva knelt on the floor in front of her and began to massage her feet. It was something that always relaxed her and she was a sucker for a massage regardless of where it was. There was a faraway look in emerald eyes that she recognised, it was the one that her wife got when remembering. Over the last few months she had learnt to stay silent, rather than interrupt the thought process.

"You overreached during duelling with me. Dived onto the floor and shot a freezing charm at my feet. Surprised the hell out of me... I fell at the same time you slid into a wall and hurt your back. But you still disarmed me. Not sure where you learnt that. You did not get up immediately and I realised that you had injured yourself."

Hermione remembered the incident well; she had been struggling to hold her own against the more experienced witch. Watching Minerva duel was like watching her dance; seemingly effortless, graceful and elegant. To have a chance at beating the Headmistress she had to do something unprecedented. Another glance over at the rubble strewn courtyard they were practicing in, showed her that Minerva was standing in a puddle and she took the chance. When she slid into some rubble in front of a wall, the pain was immediate and debilitating.

"I hated to see you in pain. I levitated you to my quarters and made you take a pain potion. Poppy was not happy to be dragged out of bed to come and deal with injuries caused by us mucking around duelling so soon after a war. It was a sprain; she cast a few spells and left us alone. Having you in my bed felt so right and natural, it knocked down the last walls that I had regarding us."

Minerva looked up into love filled chocolate eyes, "We stayed in bed all evening reading and talking, we even ate dinner there. Your back was still sore, so I offered you a massage."

Hermione gave a grin; Minerva had left the room to get a magical oil. While the older woman was gone she had shakily removed her shirt and bra and lay face down on the bed. That was the sight that the Headmistress was treated to upon her return.

"You were trembling, not in fear but... nervous... anticipating... Upon questioning you revealed that you'd never been half naked in front of anyone before, much less on a bed with them at the same time. Your skin was so soft and you responded so intensely to my touch..." Minerva's voice trailed off, the last threads of the memory dissipating, "You stayed the night."

Hermione summoned a pain potion from the kitchen and pressed it into Minerva's suddenly lax hands. "Drink it."

"I remembered." The older woman groaned and swallowed the liquid. Rarely were her memories any more than flashes.

"That's a good sign. Come on, let's put you to bed."

* * *

><p>The following week<p>

Minerva really shouldn't have sneaked away from Hogwarts in the middle of the night but she couldn't help it. She had been having bad dreams all week, or rather she was reliving painful memories. Dumbledore's death, the battle, Hermione's difficult labour. It was making sleep rather restless. A trip to her memory specialist had proved very little help, they believed that her memory might have been coming back or it might not be. Which obviously was not helpful.

The Headmistress slid into bed with her wife, trying not to wake the younger witch. "M...Nerva."

"Go back to sleep love."

"What's wrong?"

"I needed to sleep next to you." Minerva grinned when her mostly asleep wife slid backwards, pressing her shapely body against her. The Headmistress kissed the back of Hermione's neck, slid a hand onto the now noticeable swelling of their baby and closed her own eyes but sleep was a long time coming.

Cerys couldn't believe her eyes the next morning, she had snuck into Mummy's room for her morning cuddle and found both of her mothers asleep in bed together. She grabbed her teddy bear more securely and whispered, "Ssssshhh," to her canine shadow. Minerva opened one eye sleepily and held out her hand to her daughter wordlessly.

Simultaneously the bed dipped slightly from the child who slid in next to Minerva and from the dog who climbed onto the foot of the bed, ignoring the silent glare that his owner sent him. "Mum... Why you here?"

"I snuck away from work for an evening."

Cerys giggled quietly. "Naughty."

"I admit it."

"Missed you."

"I missed you too Care Bear."

"I wish you could work from home like Mummy does."

"Sometimes I wish that too." Cerys seemed to accept her mothers statement at face value, she was now old enough to understand that adult lives were much more complicated than her own and relatively simple things could prove problematic for grownups. "In the meantime, how do you feel about helping me cook breakfast for Mummy?"

"Yay."

* * *

><p>When Hermione awoke there was no sign of Cerys in the bed. She rolled over and saw the depression in the pillow that said Minerva really had come home in the middle of the night. She had half thought it had been a dream. This was the first time ever that her wife had unexpectedly come home, aside from the odd lunch or dinner break over the years.<p>

She rolled out of bed and went to brush her teeth, having dentists for parents had made her more than a little obsessed with dental hygiene. As soon as her feet hit the floor she heard the familiar sound of the dog beginning to run up the stairs, every morning when they got up Kaiser would come to greet them or check on them.

Hermione thought about changing her clothes but instead just pulled on a robe over her nightgown. She wanted to talk to Minerva about her unprecedented arrival earlier this morning. She spotted a black nose edging the door open, "Morning Kaiser." The dog slipped into the room and allowed her to stroke him before running back in the direction of his beloved Cerys. At a more dignified pace she followed suit.

The sight greeting her as she entered the kitchen was adorable to say the least. Cerys was stood on a chair mixing batter under Minerva's watchful eye. In fact the older woman had no idea what to do and was allowing her daughter to show her, she merely ensured that the youngster did not fall off of the chair. "Well hello."

Her presence had not gone unnoticed after all. Brilliant emerald eyes sparkled as her wife smiled at her radiantly. "Hey." They grinned at each other like fools for a few moments. "Playing hooky are we?"

"Indeed."

Cerys piped up, "Morning Mummy. I won't fall off if you want to go kiss her Mum."

Minerva couldn't help but snicker. Their daughter had once again managed to inject 'Professor McGonagall' into her childish voice and her intonation was uncanny. "You better had not." While she did keep an ear out for Cerys, she only had eyes for her wife.

Chocolate eyes darkened as they followed the elegant sway of Minerva's hips. Hermione licked her lips and exhaled sharply, watching a sexy grin emerge. Gentle fingers traced her cheek and the line of her jaw before the older woman pulled her into a tender kiss. They were both conscious of their audience as the kiss intensified despite their best efforts.

Hermione felt like the kiss was coming from Minerva's soul. It made her weak at the knees and she poured everything that she felt for the older woman into her response. They finally separated, breathless from lack of oxygen – clinging to each other desperately. "Wow, what was that?"

"I have absolutely no idea but it was... incredible."

There was a moment of silence in the kitchen before both women heard a quietly uttered, "Oops." from the other side of the room. They gazed at Cerys expecting to see her falling off of the chair or batter all over the floor. They didn't expect the tears that were running over red embarrassed features. "I'm sorry."

They both moved to hug their daughter. Minerva picked the youngster up and carried her over to the padded chair in the corner where they read their morning stories. A quick wave of her wand turned it into a comfortable sofa. Hermione sat next to them and helped to calm their daughter down. Brown and green eyes met in a confused contact.

"What's wrong Cerys?"

"I'm sorry, I never meant to..." She broke off into a fresh batch of sobbing.

Minerva spoke this time, pushing the youngster back far enough to look into her eyes. "I promise not to get angry with you Cerys but we need to know what you did. Can you be a brave girl and tell us?"

Their daughter took a deep breath that sounded like a sob and nodded, "I found Mummy's spare wand in the office while she was asleeping. I snucked out to the orchard and waved it around. It was really cool... and then I was thinking about you at 'ogwarts and I was jus' wishing that you was home. I think I magiced it."

Minerva exhaled slowly, controlling her emotions as promised. "When was this?"

"Um... Monday I think."

It certainly made sense to Minerva. Her dreams had started that night and it would also explain her actions early this morning.

"Don't be mad."

"I am not angry with you."

"Mummy?"

"I'm not angry at you either."

"You looks angry."

Hermione nodded, "I am angry but not with you. I am angry at myself for not locking that wand up tighter."

"Why do you have two wands anyway?" The question came from Minerva.

"While Harry, Ron and I were on the run we were captured. We were taken to Malfoy Manor, my wand was stolen and although I recovered it after the war, it had been used for bad things. I didn't want to use it anymore but it was my first wand, the one I learnt to do magic with and I couldn't part with it."

Minerva nodded, understanding fully. "Do you remember what you said Cerys?"

"Nope, not exactly."

"Would you mind if I looked at your memory?"

"Will it hurt?" A bottom lip began to tremble and fresh tears began to well up.

Minerva changed tact. "Let us finish breakfast before we worry about anything else."

"You not going in today?"

"Perhaps later. Right now I am... playing hooky."

Hermione chuckled, a little annoyed with their daughter but happy to have an unexpected breakfast with her wife. She let Minerva pull her in for another kiss, one that neither deepened for fear that it would get out of control once again. When they separated, a little breathless despite their intentions she whispered a variation of the reducto charm that would remove the lumps from the batter that her daughter had been stirring. "How about I help you with the cooking Cerys?"

"Won't Mum mind?"

"No, your mother won't mind at all." A wordless but intense moment of communication passed between chocolate and emerald eyes.

"That's alright Cerys, I need to send an owl to the school explaining my absence."

Hermione adroitly led their daughter over to the counter and helped her pour the mixture into a cake tray. "Cakes for breakfast?"

"Yep, Mum let me picked."

"Wow." Hermione kept Cerys occupied and oblivious while her wife quietly uttered the incantation that would give her access to the girls mind. Neither of them wanted to scare their daughter but they needed to know exactly what 'spell' had been performed so that they could take action if needed. Minerva had the skill and practice to slip in unnoticed and find what they needed.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione put Cerys to bed for an afternoon nap and went in search of her wife. The older witch had been a little distant since she had looked into their daughters mind that morning. Snatched moments of private conversation had confirmed that the 'spell' had been nothing drastic and would wear off on its own but they had been unable to talk about it in detail.

After searching the whole house she stepped out onto the quay, she found her wife standing staring in the direction of Hogwarts. "Minerva?" The older witch turned and smiled, offering a hand to the younger brunette. Pulling her into a tight hug as soon as she could.

"Cerys asleep?"

"Yup."

"Kaiser on the bed?"

"I've given up stopping him truthfully. They adore each other."

Hermione rested her head on Minerva's shoulder and pressed her lips against sensitive skin. She adored being close to this woman and had missed it beyond belief. When they touched it felt like everything was right in the world. A decade of being together had not dimmed that, nor reduced the passion that flowed so easily between them.

"Come sit down."

The younger witch chuckled but acceded, knowing that her wife was beyond protective. Whenever Minerva was home lately, she was scarcely able to do anything without the older woman offering to help. It made her smile, rather than annoyed her. "I love you."

"Love you too."

"She 'pologised again."

Minerva just laughed, "It could have been worse. All she did was emphasise my desire to be home and our feelings."

"Well at least I know to lock wands away more securely now. More childproofing needed I think."

"She is going to be a powerful witch and she is already exceedingly intelligent, Cerys knew exactly what she was doing."

Hermione leant against her wife, placing a hand on a muscular thigh. "You sound pretty relaxed about the whole thing. What's bothering you then?"

Elegant lips quirked, "Sometimes I forget how well you know me."

They both laughed. "Well it took a long time to get there."

Minerva exhaled slowly. "I have been talking to Kingsley. He wants to form an educational committee, looking into forming pre-Hogwarts educational institutions for magical children as well as restructuring Hogwarts. He wants me to take charge of it."

"Wow that's new, the wizarding world have always resisted education for under elevens."

"The hope is that it would instil understanding of muggles and muggleborns, as well as improving relationships between pure-bloods and the rest of the magical world."

"Do you want to do it?"

Minerva pulled a face, "Yes and no. It would mean a permanent move away from teaching but as Headmistress I do little of that in any case. The advantage I can see is that I would be home every evening and every weekend – along with the changes it will make to our world."

Hermione nodded and brushed her lips along the older woman's jaw. "I'll support you whatever you decide to do my love, you know that."

"Even if I decide to lounge around on the sofa all day, watching tele...vision and getting fat?"

"...If it's what you want."

"It would drive me crazy in a week." Minerva laughed, "Have I ever mentioned that you are a wonderful wife?"

"Not sure that you've ever phrased it like that."

"How remiss of me." They both laughed. "I could... make it up to you?"

"Sounds good to me." Hermione leant in and brushed her lips against Minerva's. "Take me to bed?"

* * *

><p>Much later<p>

"You'd really leave Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I think I could." Minerva's hand ran over the naked skin of her wife's shoulder in a loving caress. "I do not know if I ever enjoyed being Headmistress before I lost my memories but I do know that I am not currently enjoying my work."

They were snuggled up together under a light sheet; Hermione had her cheek resting on an elegant collarbone with one leg thrown over the older woman's. "You often complained about the work before we had Cerys but once I left Hogwarts and you took over Gryffindor tower again – you seemed more content."

Minerva thought hard for a moment, wishing for one of those inexplicable flashes of memory. "Perhaps it gave me the contact with students that I was missing."

"And that you have now given to Percy Weasley?" Hermione could have kicked herself when those words left her mouth. While she had accepted Minerva's gradual withdrawal from family life earlier in their marriage, she did not want to do so again – not now that she knew how good life could be.

"Yes but I sincerely doubt that I could do all of those duties alone to an acceptable standard. Besides I would rather spend my spare time with my family." A gentle kiss was placed against Hermione's temple.

"It sounds like you have made up your mind."

"I did not want to mention it until I was sure or mostly sure. You have had enough disruption in the last few months. " Minerva's free hand slipped down to cup a shapely buttock, squeezing gently. Hermione moaned and began to kiss her wife's throat.

"She'll be asleep for another hour at least..."

"Are you propositioning me?"

"I might just be." They began to kiss passionately and hands began to roam – lovingly and with considerable familiarity. Minerva slid a hand between Hermione's legs and began to stroke her intimately, keeping the contact light and teasing. "Mmmm... That's nice."

"Mmmm hmmm."

Their lovemaking was interrupted by loud strident barking. Both witches jumped out of bed with a dexterity born of shock – their dog never barked like that. They heard a thud as Kaiser jumped off of their daughter's bed and ran down the stairs, making an almighty clatter. Minerva grabbed her wand and summoned a robe. "I'll investigate, you go to Cerys."

While Hermione hated watching her wife run into potential danger, she knew that Minerva was the better choice. Being pregnant made her more of a target. She ran into her daughters room to find Cerys wide awake but not scared. "Mummy, why is Kaiser barking?"

"I'm not sure. Let's go up to my office for a minute." Adroitly fielding questions, Hermione lifted her daughter into her left arm and had her drawn wand in the right. She wasted a moment to make Cerys lighter as she rushed up the stairs.

"Mummy I'm scared."

"I know Care Bear." She put Cerys down and erected the strongest wards that she could around the room, moving hurriedly. Another wave of her wand lowered the blinds. Very few people knew the location of their house and none would visit without both prior warning and consent. Since the war it was permissible to be paranoid and so people no longer just went calling on their neighbours.

Hermione cast a quick diagnostic on their external wards. It showed that the Southern boundary was under attack and close to being breached. She whipped her wand around in an intricate pattern that she had not used since Voldemort's second rising – two patronus' leapt from the end of her wand and vanished. One went to the Auror Department and the other to Harry, they were carrying a message that would hopefully bring help running.

In a moment of fear Hermione wondered if it had been this way with Lilly Potter at the end. Had she felt the same fear and pain when James went to face an intruder, while she stayed behind to protect their baby? The idea that Minerva was out there alone facing an unknown threat was terrifying but the idea of something happening to Cerys was even worse.

"Mummy, don't worry. Kaiser will protect Mum."

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. Just five minutes ago everything had been perfect and now odds on she was going to lose part of her family. "I know he will." Truthfully she didn't know if the dog would protect her wife but she did know that a dog was no match for a wand.

The sounds of barking and spellwork intensified. Flashes showed behind the blinds as errant spells came closer to the house. Hermione cast a strengthening spell on the glass and turned to face the doors. Adrenaline coursed through her body with no outlet and she was trembling. This felt different that anything that she had ever known – before she had always been in the thick of things, able to influence or at least witness major events.

All she could do was wait, there were no more protections that she could place on the room, nothing else that she could do apart from wait. Cerys was trying desperately to stop snuffling and control her fear. Hermione could hear yelling and screaming but couldn't tell if one of the voices was Minerva's from this distance and the not knowing was driving her crazy. She remembered what it had been like rushing to St Mungos, not knowing how badly her wife was hurt.

The wand that she was holding was sweaty and trembling in her fingers. Minutes passed, each one feeling like hours. The sound of her heartbeat was becoming so loud that it started to overpower the noises from outside. Until she heard the unmistakable sound of someone climbing the stairs to their retreat, she readied her wand even further and prepared to defend her daughter.

"Hermione, it's me."

The young woman gave a cry of joy as she heard her wife's voice from behind the door but another reflex from the war made her speak. "What was the memory that I would not completely share with you in the pensieve?"

"The memory of you giving birth to Cerys, which I am still angry with you about, by the way."

A wave of her wand released the wards and she tore open the door. "You're ok! You're ok!" She threw her arms around Minerva and held her tightly.

They hugged for a long moment. "Are you trying to strangle me?"

"Yes." Hermione sobbed into the older woman shoulder.

"You alright, Cerys?"

"Was being brave for Mummy." The child wiped away the remnants of her own tears and ran over for a hug of her own. Both parents embraced her.

"I bet you were."

"Is Kaiser ok?"

Minerva smiled, "Yes he's fine. His fur is a little singed but you were right about getting a dog Cerys."

"Tolded you!"

Hermione sagged against her wife as the full enormity of the situation hit home. She exhaled again as the older woman tightened her embrace and lightly kissed her.

"I am going to drop the main house wards so that we can apparate to your Grandparents house Cerys, we need you to stay with them for a few hours. Can you be brave for just a little bit longer?"

"Yes but I need Kaiser to come."

Minerva sighed and gave a loud piercing whistle. A few minutes passed and they heard the thunderous lack of grace that was their dog mounting the stairs. The Shepherd made a fuss of Cerys before the family apparated away.

* * *

><p>Jean was putting the kettle on when Hermione and her family appeared suddenly. "For God's sake, you scared the hell out..." The elder Granger stopped abruptly as she really looked at her unexpected guests. Minerva was dishevelled and blood was dripping from a wound on her head, Kaiser had singed fur along one side and was not his usual bouncy self. Cerys had obviously been crying and was dressed only in her pyjamas, Hermione was extremely shaken by whatever had happened. "What is going on?"<p>

Minerva walked over to the window and glanced out watching as aurors in muggle clothing took up position outside of the house. "Four men attacked the house. Kaiser alerted us to their presence before they even tripped the first set of wards. Luckily the aurors arrived before they were fully breached. Three were captured and the fourth killed."

"You aren't convinced it's over are you?"

"No Jean, I prefer to be cautious. Could you look after Cerys for a while please?"

"Minerva you don't have to ask but are you sure she'll be safe here?"

"Harry will be coming in a few minutes to sit with you both. Aurors are surrounding the building, it will be perfectly safe. I have to go to St Mungos and The Ministry, Hermione could you come with me please?"

The younger witch nodded, still shell-shocked from the events of the day.

"Don' worry Nanny, Kaiser will 'tect us."

Minerva bent down and hugged her daughter, before transfiguring pyjamas into jeans and a t shirt. "I love you little one. Be good for Nanny and try not to worry."

There was a knock on the door and the Headmistress went to answer it. "Come on in."

"Uncle Harry!" The young man hugged his goddaughter and kissed her forehead when she ran over to him.

Minerva smiled at her wife's best friend and Jean. She didn't even need to look at her wife to know how upset the younger woman was. "Excuse us a moment." Taking Hermione by the hand she led the way to the brunette's childhood room, closing the door before engulfing her in a warm embrace.

"I thought that I was going to loose you."

"I said I would never leave you." Gentle lips brushed against her face. "No matter what, I was going to come back to you."

"Were they the same ones as last time?"

"The aurors think so but they were wearing masks. They should be back at The Ministry by now."

"First we need to get that head injury checked out." Hermione's fingers touched the swollen flesh in a feather light caress.

"I know but embracing you seemed more important."

"I was so scared Minerva. Terrified of anything happening to you and of someone hurting the kids. I have never felt so helpless."

"I have." The Headmistress paused, placing a hand on the back of Hermione's neck bringing their foreheads together. "When you both almost died before Cerys was born. I felt completely impotent, watching the healers work on you – knowing that there was nothing I could do to help. That I might have to stand by and watch you both die..."

There was no confusion in present Minerva's voice, only overwhelming emotion.

"You remember that part?"

"I... Yes..." Despite the awful nature of the recollection the older witch smiled. "Yes I remember."

"Flashes?"

"Not really, I recall the whole day... from finding you onwards."

"How long have you had that memory?"

Minerva paused, shaking her head. "I don't remember remembering. Your words struck a chord and the memory was right there... like I had never forgotten it."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Hope you enjoyed the chapter <strong>


	12. Chapter 12

Nothing ever changed in the wizarding hospital; it always smelled the same and new paintwork did nothing to alter the depressing atmosphere. Hermione was sat on a very uncomfortable chair watching Jeanette examine her wife once again.

Minerva winced as the healer prodded a particularly tender spot, "How did this happen?"

"I dodged a hex but I could not dodge the tree branch that it dislodged."

"Were you knocked unconscious?"

"No."

"Headache?"

"Not really and afterwards I remembered something without blinding pain."

"Well that's good." Another prod and the healer sealed the wound with a deft wave of her wand. Minerva's other minor wounds were healed with a series of incantations. "If you have any more symptoms, I want you to come straight back. Another head injury at this stage could be very serious to your recovery. Hermione, keep an eye on her."

"Of course."

"Am I free to go?" Minerva was irritated and let it show in her tone.

"For now... Report back for full detailed tests in the morning. If you feel at all strange in the meantime..."

"I know, I know, I am to come straight back."

"Make sure that you do."

* * *

><p>The rooms between the Wizengamot and the Auror office were dusty, unused and reeked of despair. They mainly held archived files, forgotten conference rooms and a series of freshly occupied high security cells. This part of The Ministry had been abandoned ever since the war, there had been no need for it – until now.<p>

Minerva led her wife into the 'incident room' heedless of the bustle in the chamber, she had lived through three wars and so this was nothing new to her. Astute green eyes sought out a large map on the wall; pins of varying colours were stuck into it, she knew from experience that red meant a major incident, orange a serious one, yellow a minor one and white suspected activity. This particular map was composed mainly of white pins, the only red ones were pinpointing her home and the alley in which she had been attacked months before.

"I take it that we are no closer to uncovering a pattern than we were previously?" The Headmistress spoke in a dry, weary tone.

"Well we do have live suspects now, which is something that we never had before." An attractive woman with short red hair looked up from a sheaf of paperwork. There was a slight accent to her English, that, when coupled with the fact that neither witch recognised her, led them to believe that she had not been in the country for long. "I'm Jenny McRae, acting Chief Auror."

Minerva continued to stare at paperwork next to the map, inadvertently blanking the younger woman. "Hi, I'm Hermione McGonagall. This is my wife Minerva." She overheard her wife introducing them but her gaze was riveted to a photograph – it showed an unshaven young man with long scraggly hair, he wore a twisted smirk and looked into the camera with a vacuous, thuggish expression.

"Who is this?"

"That... is Achan Brent. He was one of the men apprehended this afternoon. According to his file he is a half-blood who graduated from Durmstrang under the tutelage of Karkaroff, we do not know much about his activities after that time."

"I do." Both older women turned to face Hermione. "He was a Death Eater, I saw him at Malfoy Manor..." The young witch heard her own voice break and shook her head, trying to calm her thoughts and her emotions. "He was in the background, definitely more of a hanger on than a member of the inner circle."

"He doesn't have a Dark Mark but that doesn't mean anything. Only trusted servants of Voldemort wore them and few were awarded during his second rise to power."

Minerva returned her gaze to the picture. "He blindsided me in an alley, I was walking... a... and he knocked a wall down on top of me. I managed to hex... two men before the dust and rubble settled. Then everything went black."

Hermione placed a hand on her wife's back, trying to still the older woman's trembling. This was the first time that Minerva had remembered part of the original attack. Jenny spoke, "That would make sense. When they were brought in they were spouting about getting even – we assumed that you were the target the first time but that you fought them off."

"You now believe otherwise?"

"I think that Hermione was the target. Preliminary examinations using veritaserum indicate that they pulled the location of your home from Minerva's mind – if they were not particularly skilled at memory manipulation, it would... well it would explain a lot about your amnesia..."

Minerva clenched her fist so tightly that her fingers turned white. The combination of head injury and slapdash memory invasion was not promising for her eventual recovery. That however was not her main worry, the idea that she had inadvertently led killers to her wife and daughter was beyond abhorrent – it made her feel physically sick.

"It's not your fault." Heedless of their audience Hermione pulled her wife into a tight embrace. "It's not your fault." She repeated the words over and over until the older witch stopped trembling.

The Auror moved around the table, deliberately fiddling with some paperwork to give the two women a modicum of privacy. She astutely waited for them to regain composure before speaking again. "As a precaution we are recalling Harry Potter and Ron Weasley from the field. We are also arranging protection for their families. Once we realised that one member of the Golden Trio was being targeted, it made sense – more so in the light of your new revelation..."

"Can I see them?"

"It's not standard procedure but in your case we will make an exception." The Auror waved her wand in the direction of the cells, alerting her aurors to the fact that she would be entering the secured area.

* * *

><p>Minerva was sitting in her father-in-laws study with a glass of muggle whisky in her hand. Shortly upon returning from The Ministry she had felt a familiar need for privacy and had retreated into the quiet room on the second story. Despite Hermione's words earlier, she did blame herself for the attack on her family. If Brent had been unable to knock her unconscious, he would never have been able to wrest the location of The Anchorage from her mind.<p>

"Stop brooding." She hadn't heard Hermione enter until she spoke.

"I want to brood." She took a deep breath, "I wanted to be alone."

"I gave you your alone time Minerva, two hours of it. But it's over. No more sitting in a dark room, drinking, alone and brooding."

"You never mince your words do you?"

"Why should I? You are my wife, it's my job to kick you in the arse." Hermione sat on the sofa and looked at her wife for a long moment before patting the seat next to her.

Obediently Minerva put her drink on the desk, moved across the room and sat down. "I am responsible."

"No, you aren't! If you hadn't been unconscious they would never have gained that information. But if you hadn't they might have killed or kidnapped you to get to me. Me, Minerva, me! If either of us should be blaming ourselves... it should be me. Brent and his cronies were after me."

"...Hermione..."

"No, you don't get to blame yourself. We're not playing that game."

Minerva smiled at her wife, "Feisty."

"Yup."

"What now?"

"We take precautions. Find out what we can from The Ministry and go from there." Hermione smiled faintly as her wife wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"No more brooding?"

"No more brooding!"

Lips met gently in a reaffirmation of their love and the intrinsic way that they cared about each other. It was a bond that nothing had been able to weaken. They held each other for a long time, until the fire in the hearth burnt low and the house quietened.

A soft knock startled them but the couple did not separate. "Yeah?"

Jean Granger poked her head around the door, "If you two kids are quite done snuggling, the guest room is all set up. Cerys is still fast asleep. Harry and Ron are snoring on the sofa. The aurors outside have flasks of coffee, everything is locked up and warded tightly – from what I am told anyway. Go to bed, tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Thanks Mum."

"I mean it, go to bed!"

Minerva chuckled and stood up. "Yes Jean."

"What no arguing?"

"I have learnt never to argue with a Granger woman."

"Sensible." The mother-in-laws tone was dry as she shepherded them towards the spare room.

Hermione found herself unceremoniously but gently shoved through a door into her childhood bedroom with her wife, the door was firmly but gently closed behind them. "Your mother is certainly impressive."

"Yep." The younger witch waved her wand and listened as the shower turned itself on. "She is."

Minerva walked over and placed both of her hands on Hermione's stomach, smiling as she felt the baby kick. "Once their accomplices are apprehended, this will all be over."

"The war changed everything and I hope to god that it will finally be finished with but there is always another dark wizard lurking, he might not be under Voldemort's flag but he is there."

"Cynic."

"Yup, I learnt from the best."


End file.
